Lewis County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.0 | 13,066 people · 38th most distressed in Tennessee
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Lewis County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.0 — 751st 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 38th of 95 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lewis County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 73.1 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 73.1
Uninsured Rate 72
Disability Rate 75
Income & Poverty 65.4
Poverty Rate 68
Income vs. State Median 61
Child Poverty Rate 67
Debt & Delinquency 62.0
Debt in Collections 64
Medical Debt 79
Student Loan Delinquency 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 48
Credit Card Delinquency 50
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 69
Employment & Wages 60.7
Unemployment Rate 88
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 23
Business Formation Rate 70
Housing Cost Burden 44.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 29
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 85
Homeownership Rate 17
Rent-to-Income Ratio 40

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lewis County
Lewis County, TN 61.0 Elevated —
Perry County, TN 64.2 Elevated +3.2
Wayne County, TN 64.0 Elevated +2.9
Lawrence County, TN 61.1 Elevated +0.0
Hickman County, TN 57.2 Elevated -3.9
Maury County, TN 48.2 Normal -12.8

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lewis County
Lawrence County, TN 61.1 Elevated +0.0
Nottoway County, VA 61.1 Elevated +0.0
Crockett County, TN 61.0 Elevated -0.0
Alcorn County, MS 61.1 Elevated +0.1
Coshocton County, OH 61.1 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lewis 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 Lewis 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 Lewis County, Tennessee?

    Lewis County has a County Distress Index score of 61.0 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 751st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 38th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lewis County?

    The primary driver of distress in Lewis County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 73.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Lewis County compare to neighboring counties?

    Lewis County (61.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Perry County, TN (64.2); Wayne County, TN (64.0); Lawrence County, TN (61.1).

  • 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 Lewis County?

    Lewis County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 13,066 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.