Hancock County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.7 | 6,956 people · 8th most distressed in Tennessee
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Hancock County, TN shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.7 — 282nd 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 8th of 95 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hancock County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 92.9 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 92.9
Unemployment Rate 78
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Economic Vitality 86.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 86
Rent-to-Income Ratio 92
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Consumer Credit Distress 75.2
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 85
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 41
Uninsured Rate 68
Subprime Credit Population 74
Housing Cost Burden 66.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 60
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 58
Legal Distress 20.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 20

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hancock County
Hancock County, TN 72.7 Serious —
Lee County, VA 72.0 Serious -0.7
Claiborne County, TN 64.5 Elevated -8.1
Hawkins County, TN 57.9 Elevated -14.7
Grainger County, TN 54.5 Elevated -18.2
Scott County, VA 54.5 Elevated -18.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hancock County
Jenkins County, GA 72.7 Serious +0.0
Lee County, KY 72.7 Serious +0.1
Dimmit County, TX 72.8 Serious +0.2
Greene County, AL 72.9 Serious +0.2
Wilkinson County, GA 73.0 Serious +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Hancock 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 Hancock 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 Hancock County, Tennessee?

    Hancock County has a County Distress Index score of 72.7 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 282nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Hancock County?

    The primary driver of distress in Hancock County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 92.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Hancock County compare to neighboring counties?

    Hancock County (72.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Lee County, VA (72.0); Claiborne County, TN (64.5); Hawkins County, TN (57.9).

  • 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 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). Hancock County's score of 72.7 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Hancock 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 Hancock County?

    Hancock County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 6,956 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.