Houston County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 50.6 | 8,393 people · 80th most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

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Houston County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 50.6 — 1540th 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 80th of 95 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Houston County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 70.6 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 70.6
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 73
Income vs. State Median 53
Child Poverty Rate 72
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Legal Distress 69.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Consumer Credit Distress 55.2
Debt in Collections 52
Medical Debt 75
Auto Loan Delinquency 5
Credit Card Delinquency 72
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 65
Economic Vitality 51.3
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 54
Rent-to-Income Ratio 33
Business Formation Rate 91
House Price Change (YoY) 13
Housing Cost Burden 21.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 27
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 42
Homeownership Rate 14

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Houston County
Houston County, TN 50.6 Elevated —
Montgomery County, TN 68.5 Serious +17.9
Benton County, TN 55.1 Elevated +4.5
Humphreys County, TN 51.6 Elevated +1.1
Dickson County, TN 45.9 Normal -4.7
Stewart County, TN 33.7 Healthy -16.9

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Houston County
Prairie County, AR 50.5 Elevated -0.1
San Saba County, TX 50.4 Elevated -0.2
Luce County, MI 50.4 Elevated -0.2
Woods County, OK 50.4 Elevated -0.2
Schleicher County, TX 50.8 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston County, Tennessee?

    Houston County has a County Distress Index score of 50.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,540th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 80th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Houston County?

    The primary driver of distress in Houston County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 70.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Houston County compare to neighboring counties?

    Houston County (50.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Montgomery County, TN (68.5); Benton County, TN (55.1); Humphreys County, TN (51.6).

  • 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). Houston County's score of 50.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Houston 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 Houston County?

    Houston County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 8,393 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.