Bedford County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.2 | 53,055 people · 25th most distressed in Tennessee
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Bedford County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.2 — 765th 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 25th of 95 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bedford County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 75.3 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 75.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Housing Cost Burden 75.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 70
Homeownership Rate 70
Consumer Credit Distress 69.1
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 81
Auto Loan Delinquency 63
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 83
Subprime Credit Population 70
Economic Vitality 35.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 16
Business Formation Rate 73
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Structural Poverty 35.2
Unemployment Rate 27
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 17
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 30

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bedford County
Bedford County, TN 63.2 Elevated —
Rutherford County, TN 59.9 Elevated -3.3
Coffee County, TN 59.8 Elevated -3.4
Lincoln County, TN 53.3 Elevated -9.9
Marshall County, TN 49.3 Normal -13.9
Moore County, TN 37.7 Normal -25.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bedford County
Coconino County, AZ 63.2 Elevated +0.0
Colbert County, AL 63.2 Elevated +0.1
Saginaw County, MI 63.1 Elevated -0.1
Fayette County, PA 63.3 Elevated +0.1
Greenwood County, SC 63.4 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Bedford 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 Bedford 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 Bedford County, Tennessee?

    Bedford County has a County Distress Index score of 63.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 765th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 25th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bedford County?

    The primary driver of distress in Bedford County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 75.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bedford County compare to neighboring counties?

    Bedford County (63.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Rutherford County, TN (59.9); Coffee County, TN (59.8); Lincoln County, TN (53.3).

  • 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). Bedford County's score of 63.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Bedford 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 Bedford County?

    Bedford County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 53,055 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.