Roane County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.5 | 56,096 people · 77th most distressed in Tennessee
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Roane County, TN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.5 — 1709th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Tennessee, it ranks 77th 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. Roane County's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 64.7 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 64.7
Debt in Collections 62
Medical Debt 92
Student Loan Delinquency 55
Auto Loan Delinquency 62
Credit Card Delinquency 45
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Community Vulnerability 59.5
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 74
Employment & Wages 41.3
Unemployment Rate 41
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 1
Business Formation Rate 81
Housing Cost Burden 39.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 58
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 36
Homeownership Rate 32
Rent-to-Income Ratio 38
Income & Poverty 37.9
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 22
Child Poverty Rate 43

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Roane County
Roane County, TN 48.5 Normal —
Morgan County, TN 62.4 Elevated +13.9
Meigs County, TN 61.3 Elevated +12.8
McMinn County, TN 60.3 Elevated +11.8
Rhea County, TN 60.0 Elevated +11.5
Anderson County, TN 57.3 Elevated +8.9
Cumberland County, TN 56.5 Elevated +8.0
Knox County, TN 46.5 Normal -2.0
Loudon County, TN 42.5 Normal -6.0

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Roane County
Santa Fe County, NM 48.5 Normal +0.0
Cecil County, MD 48.4 Normal -0.1
Kennebec County, ME 48.4 Normal -0.1
Walton County, FL 48.6 Normal +0.1
Saline County, KS 48.4 Normal -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Roane 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 Roane 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 Roane County, Tennessee?

    Roane County has a County Distress Index score of 48.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,709th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 77th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Roane County?

    The primary driver of distress in Roane County is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 64.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Roane County compare to neighboring counties?

    Roane County (48.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Morgan County, TN (62.4); Meigs County, TN (61.3); McMinn County, TN (60.3).

  • 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 Roane County?

    Roane County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 56,096 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.