Cocke County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Serious · 75.1 | 37,404 people · 7th most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

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Cocke County, TN shows significant household financial distress with a score of 75.1 — 182nd 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 7th of 95 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Cocke County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 86.0 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 86.0
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 92
Transfer Income Dependency 91
Consumer Credit Distress 85.7
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 87
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 81
Subprime Credit Population 79
Legal Distress 83.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 84
Economic Vitality 61.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 46
Rent-to-Income Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 90
House Price Change (YoY) 62
Housing Cost Burden 48.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 42
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 66

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Cocke County
Cocke County, TN 75.1 Serious —
Hamblen County, TN 69.5 Serious -5.6
Jefferson County, TN 59.0 Elevated -16.1
Greene County, TN 55.8 Elevated -19.2
Sevier County, TN 55.0 Elevated -20.0
Madison County, NC 50.9 Elevated -24.1
Haywood County, NC 50.0 Normal -25.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Cocke County
Washington Parish, LA 75.0 Serious -0.0
Bibb County, AL 75.0 Serious -0.0
Sequoyah County, OK 75.0 Serious -0.1
Bristol city, VA 74.9 Serious -0.1
Hamilton County, FL 74.9 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Cocke 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 Cocke 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 Cocke County, Tennessee?

    Cocke County has a County Distress Index score of 75.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 182nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 7th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Cocke County?

    The primary driver of distress in Cocke County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 86.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Cocke County compare to neighboring counties?

    Cocke County (75.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Hamblen County, TN (69.5); Jefferson County, TN (59.0); Greene County, TN (55.8).

  • 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 Serious 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). Cocke County's score of 75.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Cocke 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 Cocke County?

    Cocke County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 37,404 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.