Knox County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Normal · 46.5 | 500,669 people · 83rd most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Knox County, TN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 46.5 — 1863rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Tennessee, it ranks 83rd of 95 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Knox County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 75.1 — worse than roughly 75% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 75.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 83
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 77
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 52
Homeownership Rate 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 80
Debt & Delinquency 52.9
Debt in Collections 53
Medical Debt 84
Student Loan Delinquency 30
Auto Loan Delinquency 51
Credit Card Delinquency 37
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Community Vulnerability 36.0
Uninsured Rate 53
Disability Rate 19
Income & Poverty 35.5
Poverty Rate 52
Income vs. State Median 15
Child Poverty Rate 39
Employment & Wages 32.8
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 66
Business Formation Rate 19

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Knox County compares to its 8 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Knox County
Knox County, TN 46.5 Normal —
Union County, TN 61.6 Elevated +15.2
Anderson County, TN 57.3 Elevated +10.9
Grainger County, TN 54.8 Elevated +8.3
Jefferson County, TN 53.8 Elevated +7.3
Sevier County, TN 52.8 Elevated +6.4
Roane County, TN 48.5 Normal +2.0
Blount County, TN 44.6 Normal -1.9
Loudon County, TN 42.5 Normal -4.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Knox County
Stark County, OH 46.4 Normal -0.1
Charleston County, SC 46.5 Normal +0.1
Essex County, MA 46.4 Normal -0.1
Sussex County, DE 46.3 Normal -0.2
South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT 46.7 Normal +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Knox County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Knox County.

KNOX HOUSING PARTNERSHIP, INCORPORATED dba HOMESOURCE EAST TENNESSEE
Knoxville
865-637-1679 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-Purchase
KNOXVILLE AREA URBAN LEAGUE
Knoxville
865-524-5511 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE EXTENSION OFFICE
Knoxville
865-974-7349
Foreclosure PreventionPre-PurchaseHomebuyer EducationRental Help

See all counselors in Tennessee →

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 Knox 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Tennessee →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Knox County, Tennessee?

    Knox County has a County Distress Index score of 46.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,863rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 83rd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Knox County?

    The primary driver of distress in Knox County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 75.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Knox County compare to neighboring counties?

    Knox County (46.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Union County, TN (61.6); Anderson County, TN (57.3); Grainger County, TN (54.8).

  • 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 Knox County?

    Knox County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 500,669 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.