Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 62.3 | 249,750 people · 44th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Lafayette Parish, LA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 62.3 — 815th 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 44th of 64 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Lafayette Parish's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 76.7 — worse than roughly 77% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 76.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 82
Legal Distress 72.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Consumer Credit Distress 69.5
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 82
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 75
Structural Poverty 34.8
Unemployment Rate 38
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 66
Disability Rate 19
Transfer Income Dependency 17
Economic Vitality 22.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 88

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette Parish
Lafayette Parish, LA 62.3 Elevated —
St. Landry Parish, LA 76.1 Serious +13.8
Iberia Parish, LA 72.9 Serious +10.6
Acadia Parish, LA 70.1 Serious +7.8
St. Martin Parish, LA 68.5 Serious +6.1
Vermilion Parish, LA 61.7 Elevated -0.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Lafayette Parish
Gordon County, GA 62.3 Elevated +0.0
Tipton County, TN 62.2 Elevated -0.1
Randolph County, NC 62.5 Elevated +0.2
Craven County, NC 62.6 Elevated +0.2
Walker County, AL 62.6 Elevated +0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lafayette Parish

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lafayette Parish.

LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNSELING SERVICES
Lafayette
337-291-5450 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
SAINT MARTIN, IBERIA, LAFAYETTE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
LAFAYETTE
337-234-3272-203 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
STEP UP ACADIANA
Lafayette
337-484-1501 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?

    Lafayette Parish has a County Distress Index score of 62.3 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 815th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 44th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lafayette Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Lafayette Parish is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Lafayette Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Lafayette Parish (62.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: St. Landry Parish, LA (76.1); Iberia Parish, LA (72.9); Acadia Parish, LA (70.1).

  • 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). Lafayette Parish's score of 62.3 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish?

    Lafayette Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 249,750 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.