Claiborne County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.5 | 32,654 people · 19th most distressed in Tennessee
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Claiborne County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.5 — 673rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where poverty rates are high, transfer income dependency is elevated, and household incomes lag well behind state and national medians. Within Tennessee, it ranks 19th of 95 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Claiborne County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 78.8 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 78.8
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 80
Income vs. State Median 69
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 88
Legal Distress 70.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Consumer Credit Distress 68.6
Debt in Collections 67
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 72
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Uninsured Rate 64
Subprime Credit Population 74
Economic Vitality 58.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 94
House Price Change (YoY) 96
Housing Cost Burden 47.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 58
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 31
Homeownership Rate 64

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Claiborne County
Claiborne County, TN 64.5 Elevated —
Bell County, KY 79.9 Serious +15.4
Hancock County, TN 72.7 Serious +8.1
Lee County, VA 72.0 Serious +7.4
Campbell County, TN 68.5 Serious +4.0
Whitley County, KY 68.2 Serious +3.7
Union County, TN 57.0 Elevated -7.5
Grainger County, TN 54.5 Elevated -10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Claiborne County
Wapello County, IA 64.5 Elevated 0.0
San Jacinto County, TX 64.5 Elevated +0.0
Las Animas County, CO 64.6 Elevated +0.0
Jefferson County, FL 64.4 Elevated -0.1
Crawford County, KS 64.4 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Claiborne 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 Claiborne 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 Claiborne County, Tennessee?

    Claiborne County has a County Distress Index score of 64.5 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 673rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 19th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Claiborne County?

    The primary driver of distress in Claiborne County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 78.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Claiborne County compare to neighboring counties?

    Claiborne County (64.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Bell County, KY (79.9); Hancock County, TN (72.7); Lee County, VA (72.0).

  • 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). Claiborne County's score of 64.5 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Claiborne 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 Claiborne County?

    Claiborne County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 32,654 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.