Cannon County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.7 | 15,063 people · 72nd most distressed in Tennessee
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Cannon County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.7 — 1421st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Economic Vitality, where wages are low relative to housing costs, business formation lags, and the local economy lacks dynamism. Within Tennessee, it ranks 72nd of 95 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cannon County's primary driver is Economic Vitality at 85.7 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Economic Vitality Primary driver 85.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 95
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 11
Legal Distress 62.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Structural Poverty 49.8
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 57
Income vs. State Median 40
Child Poverty Rate 69
Disability Rate 69
Transfer Income Dependency 49
Consumer Credit Distress 48.0
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 6
Credit Card Delinquency 55
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 55
Housing Cost Burden 47.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 39
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 56
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 65
Homeownership Rate 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cannon County
Cannon County, TN 52.7 Elevated —
DeKalb County, TN 62.4 Elevated +9.7
Rutherford County, TN 59.9 Elevated +7.2
Coffee County, TN 59.8 Elevated +7.1
Warren County, TN 57.9 Elevated +5.2
Wilson County, TN 42.9 Normal -9.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cannon County
Tallapoosa County, AL 52.7 Elevated +0.0
Morgan County, GA 52.6 Elevated -0.0
Russell County, VA 52.8 Elevated +0.1
Northampton County, VA 52.6 Elevated -0.1
Douglas County, MO 52.8 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cannon 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 Cannon 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 Cannon County, Tennessee?

    Cannon County has a County Distress Index score of 52.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,421st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 72nd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cannon County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cannon County is Economic Vitality, where the county scores 85.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Rent-to-Income Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Cannon County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cannon County (52.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: DeKalb County, TN (62.4); Rutherford County, TN (59.9); Coffee County, TN (59.8).

  • 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). Cannon County's score of 52.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Cannon 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 Cannon County?

    Cannon County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 15,063 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.