Fayette County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.9 | 44,175 people · 82nd most distressed in Tennessee
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Fayette County, TN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.9 — 1835th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Tennessee, it ranks 82nd of 95 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Fayette County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 65.5 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 65.5
Debt in Collections 57
Medical Debt 74
Student Loan Delinquency 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 54
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Community Vulnerability 55.8
Uninsured Rate 48
Disability Rate 63
Employment & Wages 40.8
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Business Formation Rate 17
Housing Cost Burden 37.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 43
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 40
Homeownership Rate 16
Rent-to-Income Ratio 39
Income & Poverty 35.5
Poverty Rate 44
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 53

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Fayette County
Fayette County, TN 46.9 Normal —
Marshall County, MS 72.1 Serious +25.2
Haywood County, TN 69.8 Serious +22.9
Hardeman County, TN 66.7 Serious +19.8
Shelby County, TN 65.5 Serious +18.6
Benton County, MS 61.0 Elevated +14.0
Tipton County, TN 59.7 Elevated +12.7

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Fayette County
Lancaster County, VA 46.9 Normal +0.0
Presque Isle County, MI 47.0 Normal +0.0
Clinton County, IA 46.9 Normal -0.0
Osage County, KS 47.0 Normal +0.0
Logan County, IL 47.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Fayette 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 Fayette 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 Fayette County, Tennessee?

    Fayette County has a County Distress Index score of 46.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,835th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 82nd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Fayette County?

    The primary driver of distress in Fayette County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 65.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Fayette County compare to neighboring counties?

    Fayette County (46.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Marshall County, MS (72.1); Haywood County, TN (69.8); Hardeman County, TN (66.7).

  • 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 Fayette County?

    Fayette County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 44,175 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.