Unicoi County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Elevated · 64.4 | 17,756 people · 24th most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

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Unicoi County, TN registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 64.4 — 540th 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 24th of 95 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Unicoi County's primary driver is Community Vulnerability at 69.2 — above the national median.

Community Vulnerability Primary driver 69.2
Uninsured Rate 58
Disability Rate 80
Housing Cost Burden 66.4
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 62
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 44
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 58
Rent-to-Income Ratio 79
Debt & Delinquency 65.9
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 84
Student Loan Delinquency 63
Auto Loan Delinquency 43
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Employment & Wages 63.2
Unemployment Rate 55
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 40
Business Formation Rate 95
Income & Poverty 57.1
Poverty Rate 40
Income vs. State Median 62
Child Poverty Rate 70

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Unicoi County
Unicoi County, TN 64.4 Elevated —
Carter County, TN 71.4 Serious +7.0
Greene County, TN 58.6 Elevated -5.8
Washington County, TN 55.3 Elevated -9.1
Madison County, NC 54.1 Elevated -10.2
Yancey County, NC 49.6 Normal -14.8
Mitchell County, NC 48.9 Normal -15.5

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Unicoi County
Roosevelt County, NM 64.4 Elevated 0.0
Barbour County, AL 64.4 Elevated +0.1
Sussex County, VA 64.3 Elevated -0.1
Marion County, TN 64.5 Elevated +0.2
Guernsey County, OH 64.5 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Unicoi 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 Unicoi 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 Unicoi County, Tennessee?

    Unicoi County has a County Distress Index score of 64.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 540th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Unicoi County?

    The primary driver of distress in Unicoi County is Community Vulnerability, where the county scores 69.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Uninsured Rate, Disability Rate.

  • How does Unicoi County compare to neighboring counties?

    Unicoi County (64.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Carter County, TN (71.4); Greene County, TN (58.6); Washington County, TN (55.3).

  • 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 Unicoi County?

    Unicoi County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 17,756 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.