Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.7 | 22,386 people · 58th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Plaquemines Parish, LA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.7 — 1162nd 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 58th of 64 counties. It scores lower than all 3 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Plaquemines Parish's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 69.2 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 69.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 92
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 47
Homeownership Rate 53
Consumer Credit Distress 62.0
Debt in Collections 60
Medical Debt 59
Auto Loan Delinquency 77
Credit Card Delinquency 61
Uninsured Rate 26
Subprime Credit Population 69
Legal Distress 55.4
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 55
Structural Poverty 36.4
Unemployment Rate 45
Poverty Rate 65
Income vs. State Median 9
Child Poverty Rate 59
Disability Rate 46
Transfer Income Dependency 18
Economic Vitality 29.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 3
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 19
House Price Change (YoY) 93

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Plaquemines Parish
Plaquemines Parish, LA 56.7 Elevated —
St. Bernard Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +23.7
Orleans Parish, LA 78.2 Serious +21.5
Jefferson Parish, LA 70.9 Serious +14.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Plaquemines Parish
Metcalfe County, KY 56.6 Elevated -0.0
White County, TN 56.6 Elevated -0.0
Cherokee County, AL 56.6 Elevated -0.1
Washington County, KY 56.6 Elevated -0.1
Washington County, AL 56.5 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Plaquemines 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 Plaquemines 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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

    Plaquemines Parish has a County Distress Index score of 56.7 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,162nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 58th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Plaquemines Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Plaquemines Parish is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 69.2 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Plaquemines Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Plaquemines Parish (56.7) can be compared to its 3 neighboring counties: St. Bernard Parish, LA (80.3); Orleans Parish, LA (78.2); Jefferson Parish, LA (70.9).

  • 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). Plaquemines Parish's score of 56.7 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Plaquemines 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 Plaquemines Parish?

    Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 22,386 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.