Jackson Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.6 | 14,746 people · 46th most distressed in Louisiana
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Jackson Parish, LA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.6 — 843rd 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 46th 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. Jackson Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 91.6 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 91.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 92
Structural Poverty 76.6
Unemployment Rate 72
Poverty Rate 84
Income vs. State Median 59
Child Poverty Rate 86
Disability Rate 76
Transfer Income Dependency 86
Consumer Credit Distress 72.8
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 58
Auto Loan Delinquency 67
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 51
Subprime Credit Population 87
Housing Cost Burden 33.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 26
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 11
Homeownership Rate 69
Economic Vitality 26.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 34
Business Formation Rate 81
House Price Change (YoY) 9

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson Parish
Jackson Parish, LA 61.6 Elevated —
Ouachita Parish, LA 77.5 Serious +15.9
Caldwell Parish, LA 73.3 Serious +11.7
Lincoln Parish, LA 71.7 Serious +10.1
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious +10.0
Winn Parish, LA 64.3 Elevated +2.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Jackson Parish
Lincoln County, OK 61.6 Elevated -0.0
Buchanan County, VA 61.5 Elevated -0.1
Polk County, TN 61.5 Elevated -0.1
Madison County, GA 61.8 Elevated +0.1
Randolph County, MO 61.8 Elevated +0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Jackson 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 Jackson 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 Jackson Parish, Louisiana?

    Jackson Parish has a County Distress Index score of 61.6 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 843rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 46th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Jackson Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Jackson Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 91.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Jackson Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Jackson Parish (61.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ouachita Parish, LA (77.5); Caldwell Parish, LA (73.3); Lincoln Parish, LA (71.7).

  • 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 Elevated 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). Jackson Parish's score of 61.6 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Jackson 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 Jackson Parish?

    Jackson Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 14,746 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.