Gov. Lee announces fewest distressed counties in Tennessee history

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announces the number of distressed counties in the state has reduced to eight, the fewest in Tennessee history.

A press release from the Governor’s Office states this marks a signification milestone in the Lee administration’s mission to accelerate the transformation of rural Tennessee.

“In 2019, we began an administration-wide mission to expand opportunity for Tennesseans in rural areas, and our strategic workforce and infrastructure investments have resulted in an historic reduction of our state’s distressed counties,” said Governor Lee. “What happens in rural Tennessee matters to all of Tennessee. As Tennessee experiences unprecedented economic growth and job creation, we’ll continue our work to prioritize rural communities so that Tennesseans in every county can thrive.”

According to the Appalachian Regional Commission, Grundy and Morgan counties advanced out of the distressed designation this year. The release states since 2019, the total number of distressed counties in the state has reduced from 15 to eight.

The release also highlighted various notable strategic investments to support rural Tennessee’s success since 2019. Click here to read the full release.

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