Bienville Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.6 | 12,366 people · 26th most distressed in Louisiana
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Bienville Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.6 — 328th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Louisiana, it ranks 26th of 64 counties. Its score is in the middle of its 8 neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Bienville Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 92.3 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 92.3
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Structural Poverty 91.6
Unemployment Rate 83
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 82
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 85.0
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 73
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 56
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 38.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 37
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 34
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 19
Homeownership Rate 68
Economic Vitality 35.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 6
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 28
House Price Change (YoY) 66

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Bienville Parish
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious —
Webster Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +8.7
Natchitoches Parish, LA 77.5 Serious +5.9
Claiborne Parish, LA 74.8 Serious +3.2
Lincoln Parish, LA 71.7 Serious +0.1
Bossier Parish, LA 67.0 Serious -4.6
Red River Parish, LA 65.8 Serious -5.9
Winn Parish, LA 64.3 Elevated -7.4
Jackson Parish, LA 61.6 Elevated -10.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Bienville Parish
Tallahatchie County, MS 71.6 Serious -0.0
Howard County, AR 71.6 Serious -0.0
Bleckley County, GA 71.6 Serious -0.0
Lincoln Parish, LA 71.7 Serious +0.1
Leake County, MS 71.5 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Bienville Parish as a CSV file.

Find Help in Bienville Parish

Find an Attorney

Louisiana State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Louisiana State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 1-800-421-5722

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Bienville Parish residents at no cost.

Southeast Louisiana Legal Services 504-529-1000
Acadiana Legal Service Corporation 1-800-256-1175
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corporation (504) 529-1000

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Bienville Parish, Louisiana?

    Bienville Parish has a County Distress Index score of 71.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 328th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 26th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Bienville Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Bienville Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 92.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Bienville Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Bienville Parish (71.6) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Webster Parish, LA (80.3); Natchitoches Parish, LA (77.5); Claiborne Parish, LA (74.8).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Bienville Parish's score of 71.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Bienville Parish's CDI score?

    Bienville Parish's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Bienville Parish?

    Bienville Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 12,366 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.