Chester County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.7 | 17,606 people · 71st most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

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Chester County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.7 — 1397th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Employment & Wages, where unemployment is elevated, wages are low relative to housing costs, and business formation lags. Within Tennessee, it ranks 71st of 95 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Chester County's primary driver is Employment & Wages at 72.6 — above the national median.

Employment & Wages Primary driver 72.6
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 72
Debt & Delinquency 64.9
Debt in Collections 56
Medical Debt 55
Student Loan Delinquency 35
Auto Loan Delinquency 89
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Income & Poverty 53.5
Poverty Rate 71
Income vs. State Median 23
Child Poverty Rate 66
Housing Cost Burden 38.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 22
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 29
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 38
Rent-to-Income Ratio 67
Community Vulnerability 34.3
Uninsured Rate 60
Disability Rate 8

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Chester County compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Chester County
Chester County, TN 52.7 Elevated —
Madison County, TN 67.2 Serious +14.5
Hardeman County, TN 66.7 Serious +14.0
Hardin County, TN 64.8 Elevated +12.2
Henderson County, TN 58.1 Elevated +5.4
McNairy County, TN 54.8 Elevated +2.1

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Chester County
Fayette County, IL 52.7 Elevated -0.0
Bourbon County, KY 52.7 Elevated +0.0
Preston County, WV 52.7 Elevated +0.0
Elmore County, ID 52.7 Elevated -0.0
Pickens County, GA 52.7 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Chester 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 Chester 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 Chester County, Tennessee?

    Chester County has a County Distress Index score of 52.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,397th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 71st in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Chester County?

    The primary driver of distress in Chester County is Employment & Wages, where the county scores 72.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Wage-to-Rent Ratio, Business Formation Rate.

  • How does Chester County compare to neighboring counties?

    Chester County (52.7) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Madison County, TN (67.2); Hardeman County, TN (66.7); Hardin County, TN (64.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Chester County?

    Chester County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 17,606 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.