Putnam County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 55.6 | 83,844 people · 62nd most distressed in Tennessee
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Putnam County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 55.6 — 1174th 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 62nd of 95 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Putnam County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 72.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 72.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 80
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 85
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 56
Homeownership Rate 92
Rent-to-Income Ratio 50
Debt & Delinquency 62.4
Debt in Collections 55
Medical Debt 81
Student Loan Delinquency 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 57
Credit Card Delinquency 33
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 82
Income & Poverty 58.9
Poverty Rate 75
Income vs. State Median 48
Child Poverty Rate 54
Employment & Wages 42.3
Unemployment Rate 34
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 43
Business Formation Rate 50
Community Vulnerability 41.8
Uninsured Rate 61
Disability Rate 22

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

Neighbors and Peers

How Putnam County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Putnam County
Putnam County, TN 55.6 Elevated —
Jackson County, TN 65.1 Serious +9.6
Fentress County, TN 62.8 Elevated +7.2
DeKalb County, TN 59.9 Elevated +4.3
White County, TN 57.8 Elevated +2.3
Cumberland County, TN 56.5 Elevated +0.9
Overton County, TN 52.1 Elevated -3.4
Smith County, TN 45.2 Normal -10.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Putnam County
Grant County, WA 55.5 Elevated -0.0
Tuscaloosa County, AL 55.5 Elevated -0.1
Sullivan County, TN 55.4 Elevated -0.1
Lycoming County, PA 55.8 Elevated +0.2
Washington County, TN 55.3 Elevated -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Putnam 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County, Tennessee?

    Putnam County has a County Distress Index score of 55.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,174th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 62nd in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Putnam County?

    The primary driver of distress in Putnam County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 72.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Putnam County compare to neighboring counties?

    Putnam County (55.6) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Jackson County, TN (65.1); Fentress County, TN (62.8); DeKalb County, TN (59.9).

  • 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 Putnam County?

    Putnam County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 83,844 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.