Perry County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 54.8 | 8,891 people · 67th most distressed in Tennessee
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Perry County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 54.8 — 1283rd 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 67th 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. Perry County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 81.3 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 81.3
Unemployment Rate 86
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 81
Child Poverty Rate 83
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 84
Legal Distress 66.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 66
Consumer Credit Distress 53.3
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 88
Auto Loan Delinquency 29
Credit Card Delinquency 18
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 42
Economic Vitality 47.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 40
House Price Change (YoY) 51
Housing Cost Burden 41.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 28
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 33
Homeownership Rate 47

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Perry County, TN 54.8 Elevated —
Wayne County, TN 58.9 Elevated +4.0
Lewis County, TN 56.3 Elevated +1.4
Benton County, TN 55.1 Elevated +0.3
Humphreys County, TN 51.6 Elevated -3.2
Hickman County, TN 51.2 Elevated -3.6
Decatur County, TN 49.1 Normal -5.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Perry County
Clay County, TN 54.8 Elevated -0.0
Calhoun County, WV 54.8 Elevated -0.0
Wheeler County, TX 54.9 Elevated +0.1
Nowata County, OK 54.7 Elevated -0.2
Kinney County, TX 55.1 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Perry 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 Perry 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 Perry County, Tennessee?

    Perry County has a County Distress Index score of 54.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,283rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 67th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Perry County?

    The primary driver of distress in Perry County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 81.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Perry County compare to neighboring counties?

    Perry County (54.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Wayne County, TN (58.9); Lewis County, TN (56.3); Benton County, TN (55.1).

  • 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). Perry County's score of 54.8 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Perry 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 Perry County?

    Perry County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 8,891 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.