Caldwell Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 73.3 | 9,389 people · 18th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Caldwell Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 73.3 — 255th 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 18th of 64 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Caldwell Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 83.5
Unemployment Rate 82
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 72
Child Poverty Rate 89
Disability Rate 78
Transfer Income Dependency 94
Housing Cost Burden 82.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 68.5
Debt in Collections 76
Medical Debt 38
Auto Loan Delinquency 61
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 16
Subprime Credit Population 90
Economic Vitality 44.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 41
Rent-to-Income Ratio 48
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell Parish
Caldwell Parish, LA 73.3 Serious —
Catahoula Parish, LA 78.7 Serious +5.4
Ouachita Parish, LA 77.5 Serious +4.2
Richland Parish, LA 73.0 Serious -0.4
Franklin Parish, LA 68.0 Serious -5.3
Winn Parish, LA 64.3 Elevated -9.1
Jackson Parish, LA 61.6 Elevated -11.7
LaSalle Parish, LA 59.9 Elevated -13.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Caldwell Parish
Miller County, GA 73.4 Serious +0.1
Jim Hogg County, TX 73.6 Serious +0.3
Wilkinson County, GA 73.0 Serious -0.4
Greene County, AL 72.9 Serious -0.5
Emporia city, VA 73.8 Serious +0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Louisiana →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Caldwell Parish has a County Distress Index score of 73.3 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 255th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 18th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Caldwell Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Caldwell Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Caldwell Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Caldwell Parish (73.3) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Catahoula Parish, LA (78.7); Ouachita Parish, LA (77.5); Richland Parish, LA (73.0).

  • 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). Caldwell Parish's score of 73.3 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Caldwell 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 Caldwell Parish?

    Caldwell Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 9,389 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.