McMinn County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.4 | 55,678 people · 32nd most distressed in Tennessee
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McMinn County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.4 — 852nd 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 32nd of 95 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. McMinn County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Consumer Credit Distress 68.2
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 69
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 66
Structural Poverty 65.3
Unemployment Rate 61
Poverty Rate 61
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 72
Housing Cost Burden 43.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 52
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 27
Homeownership Rate 49
Economic Vitality 37.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 19
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Business Formation Rate 85
House Price Change (YoY) 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. McMinn County
McMinn County, TN 61.4 Elevated —
Bradley County, TN 66.3 Serious +4.9
Monroe County, TN 64.9 Elevated +3.5
Polk County, TN 61.5 Elevated +0.1
Meigs County, TN 60.1 Elevated -1.3
Roane County, TN 51.0 Elevated -10.4
Loudon County, TN 43.1 Normal -18.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. McMinn County
Pickens County, SC 61.4 Elevated -0.0
Charles County, MD 61.4 Elevated -0.1
Livingston Parish, LA 61.3 Elevated -0.1
Rowan County, NC 61.2 Elevated -0.2
Carson City, NV 61.7 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in McMinn 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 McMinn 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 McMinn County, Tennessee?

    McMinn County has a County Distress Index score of 61.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 852nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 32nd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in McMinn County?

    The primary driver of distress in McMinn County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does McMinn County compare to neighboring counties?

    McMinn County (61.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Bradley County, TN (66.3); Monroe County, TN (64.9); Polk County, TN (61.5).

  • 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). McMinn County's score of 61.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    McMinn 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 McMinn County?

    McMinn County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 55,678 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.