St. Charles Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 60.2 | 50,620 people · 51st most distressed in Louisiana
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St. Charles Parish, LA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 60.2 — 939th 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 51st of 64 counties. Among its 4 neighboring counties, 3 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Charles Parish's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.7 — worse than roughly 80% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 55
Homeownership Rate 8
Legal Distress 73.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 74
Consumer Credit Distress 64.5
Debt in Collections 61
Medical Debt 52
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 68
Uninsured Rate 36
Subprime Credit Population 74
Structural Poverty 32.8
Unemployment Rate 41
Poverty Rate 45
Income vs. State Median 3
Child Poverty Rate 56
Disability Rate 54
Transfer Income Dependency 20
Economic Vitality 20.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 1
Rent-to-Income Ratio 35
Business Formation Rate 29
House Price Change (YoY) 60

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Charles Parish
St. Charles Parish, LA 60.2 Elevated —
Tangipahoa Parish, LA 77.8 Serious +17.6
Jefferson Parish, LA 70.9 Serious +10.8
St. John the Baptist Parish, LA 69.8 Serious +9.6
Lafourche Parish, LA 59.1 Elevated -1.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Charles Parish
Lafayette County, MS 60.1 Elevated -0.1
Hardin County, TX 60.3 Elevated +0.1
Kanawha County, WV 60.1 Elevated -0.1
Elkhart County, IN 60.0 Elevated -0.2
Garfield County, OK 60.0 Elevated -0.2

Download Data

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

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

    St. Charles Parish has a County Distress Index score of 60.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 939th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 51st in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Charles Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Charles Parish is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 79.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

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

    St. Charles Parish (60.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Tangipahoa Parish, LA (77.8); Jefferson Parish, LA (70.9); St. John the Baptist Parish, LA (69.8).

  • 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). St. Charles Parish's score of 60.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    St. Charles 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. Charles Parish?

    St. Charles Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 50,620 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.