Henderson County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.8 | 28,070 people · 52nd most distressed in Tennessee
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Henderson County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.8 — 1098th 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 52nd of 95 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Henderson County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 96.0 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 96.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 96
Consumer Credit Distress 68.1
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 30
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 69
Structural Poverty 59.3
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 54
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 52
Disability Rate 66
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Economic Vitality 43.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 36
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Business Formation Rate 85
House Price Change (YoY) 10
Housing Cost Burden 28.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 17
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 6
Homeownership Rate 64

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Henderson County
Henderson County, TN 57.8 Elevated —
Madison County, TN 76.4 Serious +18.6
Carroll County, TN 67.4 Serious +9.6
Hardin County, TN 62.1 Elevated +4.3
Chester County, TN 57.9 Elevated +0.1
Decatur County, TN 49.1 Normal -8.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Henderson County
Franklin County, FL 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Pickens County, GA 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Lincoln County, KY 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Gallia County, OH 57.8 Elevated +0.0
Craig County, OK 57.7 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Henderson 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 Henderson 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 Henderson County, Tennessee?

    Henderson County has a County Distress Index score of 57.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,098th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 52nd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Henderson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Henderson County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 96.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Henderson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Henderson County (57.8) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Madison County, TN (76.4); Carroll County, TN (67.4); Hardin County, TN (62.1).

  • 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). Henderson County's score of 57.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Henderson 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 Henderson County?

    Henderson County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 28,070 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.