Sumner County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Normal · 41.3 | 207,994 people · 91st most distressed in Tennessee
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Sumner County, TN falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 41.3 — 2272nd 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 91st of 95 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 6 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Sumner County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 70.0 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 70.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 77
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 54
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 84
Homeownership Rate 61
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Debt & Delinquency 47.7
Debt in Collections 41
Medical Debt 44
Student Loan Delinquency 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 43
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 77
Employment & Wages 45.7
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 32
Community Vulnerability 31.3
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 17
Income & Poverty 11.6
Poverty Rate 12
Income vs. State Median 4
Child Poverty Rate 18

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Sumner County
Sumner County, TN 41.3 Normal —
Allen County, KY 58.3 Elevated +17.0
Macon County, TN 56.3 Elevated +15.0
Simpson County, KY 54.6 Elevated +13.3
Davidson County, TN 48.8 Normal +7.5
Trousdale County, TN 48.4 Normal +7.1
Robertson County, TN 47.0 Normal +5.8
Wilson County, TN 34.1 Healthy -7.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Sumner County
Cabarrus County, NC 41.4 Normal +0.2
St. Clair County, AL 41.1 Normal -0.2
Yellowstone County, MT 41.1 Normal -0.2
Iron County, UT 41.5 Normal +0.2
Cape Girardeau County, MO 41.0 Normal -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Sumner County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Sumner County.

UNLIMITED POTENTIAL CDC
Gallatin
614-356-8523 Website
Financial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

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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 Sumner 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 Sumner County, Tennessee?

    Sumner County has a County Distress Index score of 41.3 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,272nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 91st in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Sumner County?

    The primary driver of distress in Sumner County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 70.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Sumner County compare to neighboring counties?

    Sumner County (41.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Allen County, KY (58.3); Macon County, TN (56.3); Simpson County, KY (54.6).

  • 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 Sumner County?

    Sumner County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 207,994 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.