Scott County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Serious · 65.9 | 22,171 people · 17th most distressed in Tennessee
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Scott County, TN shows significant household financial distress with a score of 65.9 — 600th 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 17th of 95 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Scott County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 86.0 — worse than roughly 86% of U.S. counties.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 86.0
Unemployment Rate 55
Poverty Rate 89
Income vs. State Median 89
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 97
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Legal Distress 78.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 79
Consumer Credit Distress 72.0
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 72
Subprime Credit Population 80
Economic Vitality 69.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 71
Business Formation Rate 83
House Price Change (YoY) 63
Housing Cost Burden 35.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 18
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 63

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Scott County, TN 65.9 Serious —
McCreary County, KY 72.2 Serious +6.3
Wayne County, KY 70.7 Serious +4.8
Campbell County, TN 68.5 Serious +2.6
Anderson County, TN 59.9 Elevated -6.0
Morgan County, TN 57.6 Elevated -8.3
Fentress County, TN 55.8 Elevated -10.1
Pickett County, TN 46.4 Normal -19.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Scott County
Freestone County, TX 65.9 Serious 0.0
Kay County, OK 66.0 Serious +0.0
Boyd County, KY 65.8 Serious -0.1
Randolph County, AL 66.1 Serious +0.2
Lawrence County, KY 65.7 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott County, Tennessee?

    Scott County has a County Distress Index score of 65.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 600th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Scott County?

    The primary driver of distress in Scott County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 86.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Scott County compare to neighboring counties?

    Scott County (65.9) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: McCreary County, KY (72.2); Wayne County, KY (70.7); Campbell County, TN (68.5).

  • 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 Serious 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). Scott County's score of 65.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Scott 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 Scott County?

    Scott County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 22,171 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.