St. Helena Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 70.0 | 10,774 people · 30th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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St. Helena Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 70.0 — 387th 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 30th of 64 counties. Among its 5 neighboring counties, 3 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Helena Parish's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 92.0 — worse than roughly 92% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 92.0
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 95
Auto Loan Delinquency 95
Credit Card Delinquency 95
Uninsured Rate 58
Subprime Credit Population 95
Structural Poverty 85.7
Unemployment Rate 95
Poverty Rate 92
Income vs. State Median 78
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 95
Transfer Income Dependency 71
Economic Vitality 63.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 75
Rent-to-Income Ratio 95
Business Formation Rate 14
House Price Change (YoY) 5
Legal Distress 47.1
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 47
Housing Cost Burden 23.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 7
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 32
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 13
Homeownership Rate 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Helena Parish
St. Helena Parish, LA 70.0 Serious —
Tangipahoa Parish, LA 77.8 Serious +7.8
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA 72.6 Serious +2.6
Amite County, MS 65.7 Serious -4.3
Livingston Parish, LA 61.3 Elevated -8.7
East Feliciana Parish, LA 49.3 Normal -20.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Helena Parish
Duplin County, NC 70.0 Serious 0.0
Butler County, MO 70.0 Serious -0.0
Estill County, KY 70.0 Serious +0.0
New Madrid County, MO 70.1 Serious +0.1
Clarke County, MS 70.1 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

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

    St. Helena Parish has a County Distress Index score of 70.0 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 387th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 30th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Helena Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Helena Parish is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 92.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

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

    St. Helena Parish (70.0) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Tangipahoa Parish, LA (77.8); East Baton Rouge Parish, LA (72.6); Amite County, MS (65.7).

  • 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). St. Helena Parish's score of 70.0 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    St. Helena 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. Helena Parish?

    St. Helena Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 10,774 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.