East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.6 | 448,467 people · 23rd most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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

East Baton Rouge Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.6 — 284th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Louisiana, it ranks 23rd of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. East Baton Rouge Parish's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 91.6 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 91.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 95
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 63
Homeownership Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 82.0
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 62
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 86
Uninsured Rate 55
Subprime Credit Population 87
Legal Distress 53.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 54
Structural Poverty 44.4
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 86
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 80
Disability Rate 37
Transfer Income Dependency 17
Economic Vitality 35.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 18
Rent-to-Income Ratio 74
Business Formation Rate 7
House Price Change (YoY) 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. East Baton Rouge Parish
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA 72.6 Serious —
St. Helena Parish, LA 70.0 Serious -2.6
Livingston Parish, LA 61.3 Elevated -11.3
West Baton Rouge Parish, LA 60.2 Elevated -12.4
Iberville Parish, LA 58.9 Elevated -13.7
Ascension Parish, LA 51.7 Elevated -20.9
East Feliciana Parish, LA 49.3 Normal -23.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. East Baton Rouge Parish
Bell County, TX 72.5 Serious -0.1
Marion County, IN 73.0 Serious +0.4
Essex County, NJ 72.2 Serious -0.5
Jefferson County, AL 72.2 Serious -0.5
Jefferson County, TX 73.3 Serious +0.7

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for East Baton Rouge Parish as a CSV file.

Find Help in East Baton Rouge Parish

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near East Baton Rouge Parish.

LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION
Baton Rouge
225-763-8800 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-Purchase
MID CITY REDEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE
Baton Rouge
225-346-1000
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPost-Purchase
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - BATON ROUGE, LA
BATON ROUGE
225-767-9224 Website
Financial CounselingPost-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education

See all counselors in Louisiana →

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 East Baton Rouge 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 East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?

    East Baton Rouge Parish has a County Distress Index score of 72.6 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 284th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 23rd in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in East Baton Rouge Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in East Baton Rouge Parish is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 91.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does East Baton Rouge Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    East Baton Rouge Parish (72.6) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: St. Helena Parish, LA (70.0); Livingston Parish, LA (61.3); West Baton Rouge Parish, LA (60.2).

  • 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). East Baton Rouge Parish's score of 72.6 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power East Baton Rouge Parish's CDI score?

    East Baton Rouge 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 East Baton Rouge Parish?

    East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 448,467 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.