Morehouse Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Crisis · 82.1 | 23,955 people · 3rd most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Morehouse Parish, LA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 82.1 — 41st 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 3rd of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 7 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Morehouse Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Structural Poverty 92.1
Unemployment Rate 89
Poverty Rate 99
Income vs. State Median 99
Child Poverty Rate 99
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 97
Consumer Credit Distress 86.0
Debt in Collections 89
Medical Debt 84
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 93
Uninsured Rate 31
Subprime Credit Population 96
Housing Cost Burden 76.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 81
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 90
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 81
Economic Vitality 46.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 88
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 93

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Morehouse Parish
Morehouse Parish, LA 82.1 Crisis —
Ouachita Parish, LA 77.5 Serious -4.6
Chicot County, AR 76.1 Serious -6.0
Ashley County, AR 73.7 Serious -8.4
Richland Parish, LA 73.0 Serious -9.1
Union County, AR 70.7 Serious -11.4
Union Parish, LA 61.4 Elevated -20.7
West Carroll Parish, LA 53.7 Elevated -28.4

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Morehouse Parish
Mississippi County, MO 82.0 Crisis -0.1
Vance County, NC 82.3 Crisis +0.2
Halifax County, NC 81.7 Crisis -0.4
Charlton County, GA 82.5 Crisis +0.5
McDuffie County, GA 81.5 Crisis -0.5

Download Data

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

Find Help in Morehouse 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 Morehouse 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 Morehouse Parish, Louisiana?

    Morehouse Parish has a County Distress Index score of 82.1 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 41st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 3rd in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Morehouse Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Morehouse Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Morehouse Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Morehouse Parish (82.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Ouachita Parish, LA (77.5); Chicot County, AR (76.1); Ashley County, AR (73.7).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Morehouse Parish's score of 82.1 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Morehouse 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 Morehouse Parish?

    Morehouse Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 23,955 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.