Claiborne Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 74.8 | 13,670 people · 17th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Claiborne Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 74.8 — 193rd 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 17th of 64 counties. Among its 6 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Claiborne Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.0 — worse than roughly 93% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 93
Structural Poverty 84.1
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 38
Transfer Income Dependency 87
Consumer Credit Distress 79.7
Debt in Collections 85
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 11
Subprime Credit Population 93
Housing Cost Burden 64.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 68
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 73
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 17
Homeownership Rate 69
Economic Vitality 46.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 50
House Price Change (YoY) 95

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Claiborne Parish
Claiborne Parish, LA 74.8 Serious —
Webster Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +5.5
Lincoln Parish, LA 71.7 Serious -3.1
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious -3.2
Union County, AR 70.7 Serious -4.1
Columbia County, AR 68.1 Serious -6.7
Union Parish, LA 61.4 Elevated -13.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Claiborne Parish
Richmond County, NC 74.8 Serious -0.0
Laurens County, GA 74.8 Serious -0.0
Powell County, KY 74.8 Serious +0.0
Okmulgee County, OK 74.8 Serious -0.0
DeSoto County, FL 74.9 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Claiborne 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 Claiborne 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 →

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Claiborne Parish has a County Distress Index score of 74.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 193rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 17th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Claiborne Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Claiborne Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Claiborne Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Claiborne Parish (74.8) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Webster Parish, LA (80.3); Lincoln Parish, LA (71.7); Bienville Parish, LA (71.6).

  • 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). Claiborne Parish's score of 74.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Claiborne 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 Claiborne Parish?

    Claiborne Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 13,670 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.