Johnson County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.8 | 18,375 people · 58th most distressed in Tennessee
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Johnson County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.8 — 1157th 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 58th of 95 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Johnson County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 82.6 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 82.6
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 79
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Legal Distress 66.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66
Consumer Credit Distress 63.6
Debt in Collections 83
Medical Debt 90
Auto Loan Delinquency 23
Credit Card Delinquency 59
Uninsured Rate 80
Subprime Credit Population 59
Economic Vitality 45.4
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 95
Housing Cost Burden 28.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 19
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 45
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 26

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Johnson County, TN 56.8 Elevated —
Carter County, TN 66.2 Serious +9.4
Sullivan County, TN 58.0 Elevated +1.3
Grayson County, VA 54.6 Elevated -2.2
Washington County, VA 45.0 Normal -11.8
Watauga County, NC 43.6 Normal -13.2
Avery County, NC 42.5 Normal -14.3
Ashe County, NC 37.2 Normal -19.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Johnson County
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated +0.0
Garrard County, KY 56.9 Elevated +0.1
Lawrence County, TN 56.9 Elevated +0.1
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated +0.1
Obion County, TN 56.9 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson County, Tennessee?

    Johnson County has a County Distress Index score of 56.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,157th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Johnson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Johnson County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 82.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Johnson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Johnson County (56.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Carter County, TN (66.2); Sullivan County, TN (58.0); Grayson County, VA (54.6).

  • 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). Johnson County's score of 56.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Johnson 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 Johnson County?

    Johnson County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 18,375 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.