Franklin Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.0 | 19,285 people · 35th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Franklin Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.0 — 492nd 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 35th of 64 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Franklin 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 89.7
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 94
Income vs. State Median 92
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 72
Transfer Income Dependency 95
Consumer Credit Distress 73.4
Debt in Collections 82
Medical Debt 44
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 60
Uninsured Rate 34
Subprime Credit Population 93
Economic Vitality 51.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 59
Rent-to-Income Ratio 72
Business Formation Rate 24
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Housing Cost Burden 41.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 47
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 38
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 54

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin Parish
Franklin Parish, LA 68.0 Serious —
Catahoula Parish, LA 78.7 Serious +10.7
Madison Parish, LA 78.1 Serious +10.0
Caldwell Parish, LA 73.3 Serious +5.3
Richland Parish, LA 73.0 Serious +4.9
Tensas Parish, LA 71.2 Serious +3.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Franklin Parish
Simpson County, KY 68.0 Serious -0.0
Martin County, KY 68.1 Serious +0.0
Bacon County, GA 68.1 Serious +0.1
Cherokee County, OK 68.1 Serious +0.1
Pittsburg County, OK 67.9 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin Parish, Louisiana?

    Franklin Parish has a County Distress Index score of 68.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 492nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 35th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Franklin Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Franklin 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 Franklin Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Franklin Parish (68.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Catahoula Parish, LA (78.7); Madison Parish, LA (78.1); Caldwell Parish, LA (73.3).

  • 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). Franklin Parish's score of 68.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Franklin 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 Franklin Parish?

    Franklin Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 19,285 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.