Orleans Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 78.2 | 364,136 people · 8th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Orleans Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 78.2 — 99th 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 8th of 64 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Orleans Parish's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 96.8 — worse than roughly 97% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 96.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 89
Homeownership Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 82.4
Debt in Collections 90
Medical Debt 48
Auto Loan Delinquency 97
Credit Card Delinquency 88
Uninsured Rate 53
Subprime Credit Population 91
Legal Distress 71.5
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 72
Structural Poverty 54.7
Unemployment Rate 67
Poverty Rate 93
Income vs. State Median 46
Child Poverty Rate 94
Disability Rate 34
Transfer Income Dependency 20
Economic Vitality 51.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 37
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 3
House Price Change (YoY) 92

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Orleans Parish
Orleans Parish, LA 78.2 Serious —
St. Bernard Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +2.1
Jefferson Parish, LA 70.9 Serious -7.2
St. Tammany Parish, LA 59.3 Elevated -18.9
Plaquemines Parish, LA 56.7 Elevated -21.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Orleans Parish
Cameron County, TX 78.3 Serious +0.1
Henry County, GA 78.3 Serious +0.1
El Paso County, TX 78.0 Serious -0.1
Webb County, TX 78.4 Serious +0.2
Polk County, FL 79.0 Serious +0.8

Download Data

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

Find Help in Orleans Parish

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Orleans Parish.

DESIRE COMMUNITY HOUSING CORPORATION
New Orleans
504-905-1425 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingPre-Purchase
FAMILY RESOURCES OF NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans
504-822-8519 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
LOUISIANA FAIR HOUSING ACTION CENTER, INC.
New Orleans
504-596-2100 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage Help
NEW ORLEANS NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
New Orleans
504-488-0155 Website
Post-PurchasePre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
NSC (NACA COUNSELING SUBSIDIARY) - NEW ORLEANS, LA
NEW ORLEANS
504-241-2090 Website

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 Orleans 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 →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Orleans Parish, Louisiana?

    Orleans Parish has a County Distress Index score of 78.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 99th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 8th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Orleans Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Orleans Parish is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 96.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Orleans Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Orleans Parish (78.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: St. Bernard Parish, LA (80.3); Jefferson Parish, LA (70.9); St. Tammany Parish, LA (59.3).

  • 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). Orleans Parish's score of 78.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    Orleans 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 Orleans Parish?

    Orleans Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 364,136 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.