Fayette County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 51.1 | 44,175 people · 77th most distressed in Tennessee
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Fayette County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 51.1 — 1516th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Tennessee, it ranks 77th 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. Fayette County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.5 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 55.1
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 74
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Uninsured Rate 48
Subprime Credit Population 53
Economic Vitality 47.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 17
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Housing Cost Burden 40.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 16
Structural Poverty 33.6
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 63
Transfer Income Dependency 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Fayette County, TN 51.1 Elevated —
Shelby County, TN 81.3 Crisis +30.2
Marshall County, MS 79.7 Serious +28.5
Haywood County, TN 79.5 Serious +28.4
Hardeman County, TN 77.8 Serious +26.7
Benton County, MS 66.7 Serious +15.6
Tipton County, TN 62.2 Elevated +11.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Fayette County
Appanoose County, IA 51.1 Elevated 0.0
Jackson County, IN 51.1 Elevated -0.0
Washington County, ME 51.1 Elevated +0.0
Cherokee County, KS 51.0 Elevated -0.1
Montgomery County, NC 51.0 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fayette 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 Fayette 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 Fayette County, Tennessee?

    Fayette County has a County Distress Index score of 51.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,516th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 77th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fayette County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Fayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fayette County (51.1) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Shelby County, TN (81.3); Marshall County, MS (79.7); Haywood County, TN (79.5).

  • 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). Fayette County's score of 51.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Fayette 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 Fayette County?

    Fayette County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 44,175 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.