Decatur County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Normal · 49.1 | 11,656 people · 86th most distressed in Tennessee
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Decatur County, TN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 49.1 — 1632nd 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 86th of 95 counties. It scores lower 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. Decatur County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 74.0 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 74.0
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 73
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 81
Legal Distress 61.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 61
Consumer Credit Distress 50.4
Debt in Collections 73
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 19
Credit Card Delinquency 23
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 46
Economic Vitality 45.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 39
Rent-to-Income Ratio 53
Business Formation Rate 75
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 28.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 16
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 30
Homeownership Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Decatur County
Decatur County, TN 49.1 Normal —
Carroll County, TN 67.4 Serious +18.2
Hardin County, TN 62.1 Elevated +13.0
Wayne County, TN 58.9 Elevated +9.7
Henderson County, TN 57.8 Elevated +8.6
Benton County, TN 55.1 Elevated +6.0
Perry County, TN 54.8 Elevated +5.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Decatur County
Otsego County, MI 49.2 Normal +0.0
Brown County, IN 49.1 Normal -0.0
Piscataquis County, ME 49.1 Normal -0.0
Franklin County, TX 49.1 Normal -0.0
Rabun County, GA 49.1 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Decatur 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 Decatur 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 Decatur County, Tennessee?

    Decatur County has a County Distress Index score of 49.1 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,632nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 86th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Decatur County?

    The primary driver of distress in Decatur County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 74.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Decatur County compare to neighboring counties?

    Decatur County (49.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Carroll County, TN (67.4); Hardin County, TN (62.1); Wayne County, TN (58.9).

  • 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 Normal 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). Decatur County's score of 49.1 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

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

    Decatur 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 Decatur County?

    Decatur County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 11,656 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.