Anderson County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.9 | 80,234 people · 39th most distressed in Tennessee
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Anderson County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.9 — 960th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Tennessee, it ranks 39th of 95 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Anderson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 75.8 — worse than roughly 76% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 75.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 76
Consumer Credit Distress 62.3
Debt in Collections 72
Medical Debt 92
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 49
Uninsured Rate 54
Subprime Credit Population 57
Housing Cost Burden 60.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 54
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 68
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 46
Homeownership Rate 66
Economic Vitality 51.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 22
Rent-to-Income Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 63
House Price Change (YoY) 55
Structural Poverty 47.4
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 36
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 38

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Anderson County
Anderson County, TN 59.9 Elevated —
Campbell County, TN 68.5 Serious +8.6
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious +6.0
Morgan County, TN 57.6 Elevated -2.3
Union County, TN 57.0 Elevated -2.9
Knox County, TN 55.5 Elevated -4.4
Roane County, TN 51.0 Elevated -8.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Anderson County
Flagler County, FL 59.9 Elevated 0.0
Aiken County, SC 59.9 Elevated +0.0
Jackson County, IL 59.9 Elevated +0.0
Athens County, OH 59.8 Elevated -0.1
Garfield County, OK 60.0 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Anderson County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Anderson County

Find an Attorney

Tennessee Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Tennessee Bar Association — Lawyer Referral Service 615-383-7421

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Anderson County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands 615-244-6610 (Nashville); 1-888-244-6610 (statewide hotline)
West Tennessee Legal Services 731-423-0616
Legal Services of South Central Tennessee 931-381-5533
Tennessee Justice Center 615-255-0331
Appalachian Regional Commission — East Tennessee Legal Aid 865-674-0260
Legal Aid of East Tennessee (865) 637-0484

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Anderson County, Tennessee?

    Anderson County has a County Distress Index score of 59.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 960th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 39th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Anderson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Anderson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 75.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Anderson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Anderson County (59.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Campbell County, TN (68.5); Scott County, TN (65.9); Morgan County, TN (57.6).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Anderson County's score of 59.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Anderson County's CDI score?

    Anderson County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Anderson County?

    Anderson County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 80,234 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.