Morgan County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 57.6 | 21,573 people · 53rd most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Morgan County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 57.6 — 1114th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Tennessee, it ranks 53rd of 95 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Morgan County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 68.5 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 68.5
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 93
Auto Loan Delinquency 75
Credit Card Delinquency 48
Uninsured Rate 67
Subprime Credit Population 51
Legal Distress 67.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 67
Structural Poverty 65.2
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 68
Economic Vitality 59.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 52
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 3
Housing Cost Burden 25.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 25
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 21
Homeownership Rate 4

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Morgan County
Morgan County, TN 57.6 Elevated —
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious +8.3
Anderson County, TN 59.9 Elevated +2.3
Fentress County, TN 55.8 Elevated -1.8
Roane County, TN 51.0 Elevated -6.6
Cumberland County, TN 49.2 Normal -8.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Morgan County
Greenup County, KY 57.6 Elevated +0.0
Scotts Bluff County, NE 57.6 Elevated +0.0
Hutchinson County, TX 57.6 Elevated +0.0
Pike County, GA 57.6 Elevated -0.0
Torrance County, NM 57.5 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Morgan 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 Morgan 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Tennessee →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Morgan County, Tennessee?

    Morgan County has a County Distress Index score of 57.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,114th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 53rd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Morgan County?

    The primary driver of distress in Morgan County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 68.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Morgan County compare to neighboring counties?

    Morgan County (57.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Scott County, TN (65.9); Anderson County, TN (59.9); Fentress County, TN (55.8).

  • 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). Morgan County's score of 57.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Morgan 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 Morgan County?

    Morgan County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 21,573 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.