Wilson County, Tennessee

County Distress Index: Healthy · 34.1 | 163,674 people · 94th most distressed in Tennessee
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Wilson County, TN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 34.1 — 2695th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within Tennessee, it ranks 94th of 95 counties. It scores lower than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Wilson County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 61.5 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 61.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 73
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 55
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 54
Employment & Wages 41.9
Unemployment Rate 13
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 93
Business Formation Rate 20
Debt & Delinquency 35.3
Debt in Collections 31
Medical Debt 41
Student Loan Delinquency 2
Auto Loan Delinquency 37
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 71
Community Vulnerability 27.9
Uninsured Rate 40
Disability Rate 16
Income & Poverty 3.6
Poverty Rate 3
Income vs. State Median 2
Child Poverty Rate 6

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

Neighbors and Peers

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

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Wilson County
Wilson County, TN 34.1 Healthy —
DeKalb County, TN 59.9 Elevated +25.8
Cannon County, TN 59.6 Elevated +25.5
Davidson County, TN 48.8 Normal +14.7
Trousdale County, TN 48.4 Normal +14.3
Rutherford County, TN 45.3 Normal +11.2
Smith County, TN 45.2 Normal +11.2
Sumner County, TN 41.3 Normal +7.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Wilson County
Buffalo County, NE 34.1 Healthy +0.0
Johnson County, IA 34.0 Healthy -0.1
Orange County, NC 34.1 Healthy +0.1
Kauai County, HI 34.3 Healthy +0.2
Ascension Parish, LA 33.8 Healthy -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Wilson 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 Wilson 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Tennessee →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Wilson County, Tennessee?

    Wilson County has a County Distress Index score of 34.1 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,695th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 94th in Tennessee out of 95 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Wilson County?

    The primary driver of distress in Wilson County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 61.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Wilson County compare to neighboring counties?

    Wilson County (34.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: DeKalb County, TN (59.9); Cannon County, TN (59.6); Davidson County, TN (48.8).

  • 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 Wilson County?

    Wilson County, Tennessee has a population of approximately 163,674 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.