Lewis County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.3 | 13,066 people · 61st most distressed in Tennessee
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Lewis County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.3 — 1184th 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 61st 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. Lewis County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 68.7 — above the national median.

Legal Distress Primary driver 68.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Structural Poverty 68.6
Unemployment Rate 88
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 67
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Consumer Credit Distress 61.0
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 79
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 62
Economic Vitality 41.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 70
House Price Change (YoY) 87
Housing Cost Burden 40.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 17

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lewis County
Lewis County, TN 56.3 Elevated —
Wayne County, TN 58.9 Elevated +2.6
Lawrence County, TN 56.9 Elevated +0.6
Maury County, TN 56.6 Elevated +0.4
Perry County, TN 54.8 Elevated -1.4
Hickman County, TN 51.2 Elevated -5.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lewis County
St. James Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated -0.1
Love County, OK 56.2 Elevated -0.1
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated -0.1
George County, MS 56.4 Elevated +0.1
Adams County, WA 56.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis County, Tennessee?

    Lewis County has a County Distress Index score of 56.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,184th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 61st in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lewis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lewis County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 68.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Lewis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lewis County (56.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Wayne County, TN (58.9); Lawrence County, TN (56.9); Maury County, TN (56.6).

  • 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). Lewis County's score of 56.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lewis 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 Lewis County?

    Lewis County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 13,066 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.