Davidson County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 63.9 | 712,334 people · 22nd most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

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Davidson County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 63.9 — 713th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Tennessee, it ranks 22nd 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. Davidson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 88.7 — worse than roughly 89% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 88.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 92
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 82
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 88
Homeownership Rate 97
Legal Distress 74.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 65.9
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 70
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 78
Subprime Credit Population 62
Economic Vitality 54.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 50
Rent-to-Income Ratio 84
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 80
Structural Poverty 17.8
Unemployment Rate 16
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 7
Child Poverty Rate 47
Disability Rate 10
Transfer Income Dependency 1

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Davidson County
Davidson County, TN 63.9 Elevated —
Rutherford County, TN 59.9 Elevated -4.0
Robertson County, TN 57.1 Elevated -6.8
Sumner County, TN 50.0 Elevated -13.9
Cheatham County, TN 45.0 Normal -18.9
Wilson County, TN 42.9 Normal -21.0
Williamson County, TN 21.4 Healthy -42.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Davidson County
Lee County, FL 64.1 Elevated +0.2
Guilford County, NC 63.6 Elevated -0.3
Berkeley County, SC 63.5 Elevated -0.4
Galveston County, TX 64.4 Elevated +0.5
Stanislaus County, CA 64.5 Elevated +0.6

Download Data

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

Find Help in Davidson County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Davidson County.

AAA RESIDENTIAL RESOURCES, INC.
Nashville
615-650-9779
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
AFFORDABLE HOUSING RESOURCES OF NASHVILLE, INC
Nashville
615-251-0025 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
GREENPATH FINANCIAL WELLNESS
Nashville
866-234-4814 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase
NEW LEVEL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Nashville
615-627-0347
Financial CounselingFair HousingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
OPERATION HOPE- NASHVILLE BRANCH - FIRST BANK
Nashville
615-768-9059 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling

See all counselors in Tennessee →

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 Davidson 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Tennessee →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Davidson County has a County Distress Index score of 63.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 713th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 22nd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Davidson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Davidson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 88.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Davidson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Davidson County (63.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Rutherford County, TN (59.9); Robertson County, TN (57.1); Sumner County, TN (50.0).

  • 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). Davidson County's score of 63.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Davidson 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 Davidson County?

    Davidson County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 712,334 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.