Obion County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.9 | 30,411 people · 56th most distressed in Tennessee
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Obion County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.9 — 1149th 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 56th of 95 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Obion County's primary driver is Legal Distress at 88.4 — worse than roughly 88% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 88.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 88
Structural Poverty 69.8
Unemployment Rate 34
Poverty Rate 83
Income vs. State Median 65
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 89
Transfer Income Dependency 64
Consumer Credit Distress 63.4
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 96
Auto Loan Delinquency 52
Credit Card Delinquency 20
Uninsured Rate 54
Subprime Credit Population 67
Economic Vitality 43.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 84
House Price Change (YoY) 25
Housing Cost Burden 30.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 27
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 17
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 12
Homeownership Rate 80

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Obion County
Obion County, TN 56.9 Elevated —
Fulton County, KY 79.9 Serious +23.0
Lake County, TN 71.8 Serious +14.9
Dyer County, TN 68.2 Serious +11.3
Gibson County, TN 64.3 Elevated +7.4
Weakley County, TN 60.0 Elevated +3.0
Hickman County, KY 46.8 Normal -10.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Obion County
Owen County, KY 56.9 Elevated -0.0
Lawrence County, TN 56.9 Elevated -0.1
Garrard County, KY 56.9 Elevated -0.1
Union County, TN 57.0 Elevated +0.1
Shoshone County, ID 56.8 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Obion 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 Obion 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 Obion County, Tennessee?

    Obion County has a County Distress Index score of 56.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,149th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 56th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Obion County?

    The primary driver of distress in Obion County is Legal Distress, where the county scores 88.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Obion County compare to neighboring counties?

    Obion County (56.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Fulton County, KY (79.9); Lake County, TN (71.8); Dyer County, TN (68.2).

  • 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). Obion County's score of 56.9 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Obion 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 Obion County?

    Obion County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 30,411 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.