Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 77.5 | 36,291 people · 12th most distressed in Louisiana
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Natchitoches Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 77.5 — 114th 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 12th of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 8 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Natchitoches Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 90.4 — worse than roughly 90% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 90.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 90
Consumer Credit Distress 79.8
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 93
Credit Card Delinquency 87
Uninsured Rate 43
Subprime Credit Population 91
Housing Cost Burden 78.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 78
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 16
Homeownership Rate 90
Structural Poverty 76.7
Unemployment Rate 85
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 75
Child Poverty Rate 90
Disability Rate 60
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Economic Vitality 54.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 42
Rent-to-Income Ratio 70
Business Formation Rate 45
House Price Change (YoY) 94

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Natchitoches Parish
Natchitoches Parish, LA 77.5 Serious —
Rapides Parish, LA 76.5 Serious -1.0
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious -5.9
De Soto Parish, LA 67.2 Serious -10.4
Red River Parish, LA 65.8 Serious -11.8
Vernon Parish, LA 64.9 Elevated -12.6
Winn Parish, LA 64.3 Elevated -13.3
Sabine Parish, LA 63.9 Elevated -13.6
Grant Parish, LA 61.1 Elevated -16.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Natchitoches Parish
Anson County, NC 77.5 Serious -0.1
Butts County, GA 77.7 Serious +0.1
Hendry County, FL 77.7 Serious +0.1
Barnwell County, SC 77.4 Serious -0.2
Ben Hill County, GA 77.3 Serious -0.2

Download Data

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

Find Help in Natchitoches 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 Natchitoches 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 Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana?

    Natchitoches Parish has a County Distress Index score of 77.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 114th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 12th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Natchitoches Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Natchitoches Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 90.4 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Natchitoches Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Natchitoches Parish (77.5) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Rapides Parish, LA (76.5); Bienville Parish, LA (71.6); De Soto Parish, LA (67.2).

  • 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). Natchitoches Parish's score of 77.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Natchitoches 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 Natchitoches Parish?

    Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 36,291 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.