Sevier County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 52.8 | 99,415 people · 70th most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

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Sevier County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 52.8 — 1386th 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 70th of 95 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 6 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Sevier County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 68.4 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 68.4
Uninsured Rate 83
Disability Rate 54
Debt & Delinquency 65.0
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 95
Student Loan Delinquency 66
Auto Loan Delinquency 27
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 80
Housing Cost Burden 45.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 32
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 33
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 32
Homeownership Rate 62
Rent-to-Income Ratio 66
Income & Poverty 43.1
Poverty Rate 39
Income vs. State Median 38
Child Poverty Rate 52
Employment & Wages 42.5
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 85
Business Formation Rate 29

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Sevier County
Sevier County, TN 52.8 Elevated —
Cocke County, TN 75.6 Serious +22.8
Swain County, NC 55.1 Elevated +2.3
Jefferson County, TN 53.8 Elevated +0.9
Haywood County, NC 50.5 Elevated -2.3
Knox County, TN 46.5 Normal -6.4
Blount County, TN 44.6 Normal -8.3

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Sevier County
Houston County, GA 52.8 Elevated 0.0
Washington County, VA 52.8 Elevated -0.0
Walton County, GA 52.9 Elevated +0.0
Kershaw County, SC 52.7 Elevated -0.1
Schuylkill County, PA 52.7 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sevier 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 Sevier 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 Sevier County, Tennessee?

    Sevier County has a County Distress Index score of 52.8 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,386th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 70th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sevier County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sevier County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 68.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Sevier County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sevier County (52.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Cocke County, TN (75.6); Swain County, NC (55.1); Jefferson County, TN (53.8).

  • 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 Sevier County?

    Sevier County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 99,415 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.