On Tuesday, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that the number of economically distressed counties in the state has reduced to eight, the fewest in Tennessee history. In 2019 there were 15 distressed counties.
Distressed counties rank among the 10 percent most economically distressed in the nation. Economic status designations are identified through a composite measure of each county’s three-year average unemployment rate, per capita market income, and poverty rate. Bledsoe, Clay, Cocke, Hancock, Hardeman, Lake, Perry and Scott are still designated as distressed counties.
There are 27 economically at-risk counties in Tennessee. In our area at-risk counties include Fentress, Grundy, Jackson, Macon, Meigs, Morgan, Pickett, Rhea, Sequatchie, Van Buren and Warren.
According to the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), Cumberland County’s economic status is Transitional with a Per Capita Market Income of $25,670 , a Poverty Rate of 12.9 percent and a Three Year Average Unemployment Rate of 5.6 percent.
(Image courtesy TN Transparent Tennessee)
