St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Crisis · 80.3 | 44,463 people · 5th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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St. Bernard Parish, LA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 80.3 — 57th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Louisiana, it ranks 5th of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Bernard Parish's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 87.0 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 87.0
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 97
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 95
Housing Cost Burden 83.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 94
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 93
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 35
Homeownership Rate 70
Legal Distress 74.2
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Structural Poverty 66.9
Unemployment Rate 64
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 55
Child Poverty Rate 81
Disability Rate 73
Transfer Income Dependency 60
Economic Vitality 63.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 57
Rent-to-Income Ratio 96
Business Formation Rate 13
House Price Change (YoY) 88

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Bernard Parish
St. Bernard Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis —
Orleans Parish, LA 78.2 Serious -2.1
Harrison County, MS 73.8 Serious -6.5
St. Tammany Parish, LA 59.3 Elevated -21.0
Plaquemines Parish, LA 56.7 Elevated -23.7
Hancock County, MS 55.5 Elevated -24.8

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Bernard Parish
Webster Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +0.0
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis -0.1
Concordia Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis -0.1
Grady County, GA 80.4 Crisis +0.1
Sumter County, GA 80.0 Crisis -0.3

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. Bernard Parish as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. Bernard 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 St. Bernard 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 St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana?

    St. Bernard Parish has a County Distress Index score of 80.3 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 57th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 5th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Bernard Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Bernard Parish is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 87.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does St. Bernard Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    St. Bernard Parish (80.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Orleans Parish, LA (78.2); Harrison County, MS (73.8); 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 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). St. Bernard Parish's score of 80.3 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

  • What data sources power St. Bernard Parish's CDI score?

    St. Bernard 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 St. Bernard Parish?

    St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 44,463 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.