DeKalb County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 59.9 | 21,225 people · 44th most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

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DeKalb County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 59.9 — 838th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Community Vulnerability, where uninsured and disability rates are well above the national average. Within Tennessee, it ranks 44th of 95 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. DeKalb County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 70.6 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 70.6
Uninsured Rate 53
Disability Rate 88
Debt & Delinquency 64.7
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 64
Student Loan Delinquency 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 65
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Income & Poverty 62.3
Poverty Rate 69
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 70
Housing Cost Burden 59.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 88
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 62
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 74
Rent-to-Income Ratio 36
Employment & Wages 42.6
Unemployment Rate 52
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

How DeKalb County compares to its 6 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. DeKalb County
DeKalb County, TN 59.9 Elevated —
Warren County, TN 62.4 Elevated +2.5
Cannon County, TN 59.6 Elevated -0.3
White County, TN 57.8 Elevated -2.1
Putnam County, TN 55.6 Elevated -4.3
Smith County, TN 45.2 Normal -14.7
Wilson County, TN 34.1 Healthy -25.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. DeKalb County
Rowan County, KY 59.9 Elevated +0.0
Osceola County, MI 59.9 Elevated -0.0
Grayson County, VA 59.9 Elevated +0.0
Randolph County, AR 59.9 Elevated -0.0
Lewis County, KY 59.9 Elevated +0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in DeKalb 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 DeKalb 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 DeKalb County, Tennessee?

    DeKalb County has a County Distress Index score of 59.9 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 838th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in DeKalb County?

    The primary driver of distress in DeKalb County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 70.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does DeKalb County compare to neighboring counties?

    DeKalb County (59.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Warren County, TN (62.4); Cannon County, TN (59.6); White County, TN (57.8).

  • 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 DeKalb County?

    DeKalb County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 21,225 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.