Poverty Rates in Tennessee
Rural Areas of Tennessee are Financially Isolated from Rest of State
With a poverty rate of 15.0%, Tennessee has the 9th highest poverty rate in the United States, a position it shares with the state of South Carolina.
This is just slightly lower than the poverty rate of Arkansas, and just slightly higher than the poverty rate of Arizona.
Where the Worst Poverty in Tennessee Occurs
The worst poverty in Tennessee is found in rural counties of Tennessee with a much lower population density than the state average (see map below article).
The counties with critical poverty rates (at least 50% above the state average) are the following:
- Hancock (28.5%)
- Lake (31.4%)
Seven other counties stop just one and a half percent or less away from being called a county with a critical rate of poverty. These other counties are Campbell, Cocke, Fentress, Grundy, Hardeman, Johnson, and Scott.
There are no major cities with a critical poverty rate in Tennessee. In fact, five major cities have poverty rates that are at least 50% below the state average.
Why the Worst Poverty in Tennessee Exists
Since all of the places with poverty rates reaching critical levels are in much more rural areas than the rest of Tennessee, it is important to understand why areas like this are so prone to poverty.
Rural areas have less access to basic utilities and services. In some of these rural areas of Tennessee it is harder to access electricity, water, and sewage systems than it is for people living in urban areas.
Due to low quality road maintenance in some of these areas it can also be much more difficult to reach a hospital or school.
All of this isolation also means that the residents of rural Tennessee have much less of a political voice as well.
Due to the high amount of effort that politicians have to exert to reach all areas of rural Tennessee, and the minimum amount of returns due to the low population density, it is rare that areas like this will see a politician reach out to them instead of more voter-packed urban areas.
All of this aside, it is important to keep in mind that the reasons for poverty are as unique as the individuals who live through it. Though finding trends in a specific area is important, no generalization can account for everyone.
What is Being Done about Poverty in Tennessee
One organization working to help people living in poverty is the Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc.
Based in Nashville, the CCT serves thousands of people of any race, religion and ethnicity throughout Tennessee who are in need of food or even work.
Other organizations working to improve life in rural Tennessee include Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and the USDA Rural Development branch.
Habitat for Humanity and the USDA Rural Development branch both work separately to provide affordable housing to those in need in rural areas of Tennessee.
United Way works to improve the lives of people in rural Tennessee by taking a much more local approach.
By distributing its donations to local charities, businesses, and outreach organizations, United Way works to help each community in ways that are tailored specifically for the people living there.
References:
United States Census Bureau
Catholic Charities of Tennessee
Habitat for Humanity
USDA Rural Development
United Way
