KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Three East Tennessee counties are considered "distressed," according to an index by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The federal commission works to make sure Appalachian communities are able to sustain themselves and thrive. It examines indicators like counties' three-year average unemployment rates, per capita market incomes and poverty rates to determine counties' well-being.
They determined eight counties in Tennessee were considered distressed. Three of those are located in East Tennessee and are listed below.
- Cocke County: 20.3% poverty rate, 6.8% three-year average unemployment rate, and $23,306 per capita market income
- Hancock County: 29.1% poverty rate, 6.3% three-year average unemployment rate, and $18,162 per capita market income
- Scott County: 23.2% poverty rate, 5.9% three-year average unemployment rate, and $21,193 per capita market income
Morgan County was listed as a "distressed" county the previous year. In the most recent index, it is listed as an "at-risk" county with a per capita income of $25,015 and a 21.8% poverty rate and a 4.9% three-year average unemployment rate. It is one of 27 at-risk counties across the state.
Lisa Collet, the Chamber of Commerce Director, said they accomplished getting off the list by building on what they already had in place.
"I try to focus on the retention and expansion of businesses we already have here," said Collet.
Most counties across the state are considered "transitional," at 52 counties. Seven of the counties were considered "competitive," including Knox County. They said it has a $48,076 per capita market income with a 12.7% poverty rate and an average three-year unemployment rate of 4%.
Only one county in the state was given the rank of "attainment" — Williamson County. They said its per capita market income was at $99,720 and it had a 3.9% poverty rate, with a three-year average unemployment rate of 3.2%.