St. James Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 56.2 | 19,191 people · 59th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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St. James Parish, LA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 56.2 — 1187th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Legal Distress, where bankruptcy filing rates are well above the national average. Within Louisiana, it ranks 59th 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. James Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 82.7 — worse than roughly 83% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 82.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 83
Consumer Credit Distress 77.3
Debt in Collections 81
Medical Debt 77
Auto Loan Delinquency 94
Credit Card Delinquency 70
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 82
Structural Poverty 41.6
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 62
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 73
Disability Rate 17
Transfer Income Dependency 29
Housing Cost Burden 28.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 14
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 60
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 7
Homeownership Rate 5
Economic Vitality 14.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 13
Business Formation Rate 22
House Price Change (YoY) 49

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. James Parish
St. James Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated —
St. John the Baptist Parish, LA 69.8 Serious +13.6
Assumption Parish, LA 67.5 Serious +11.3
Lafourche Parish, LA 59.1 Elevated +2.9
Ascension Parish, LA 51.7 Elevated -4.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. James Parish
Love County, OK 56.2 Elevated 0.0
Malheur County, OR 56.2 Elevated 0.0
Adams County, WA 56.2 Elevated -0.0
Lewis County, TN 56.3 Elevated +0.1
Beauregard Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated -0.1

Download Data

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

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

    St. James Parish has a County Distress Index score of 56.2 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,187th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 59th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. James Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in St. James Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 82.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

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

    St. James Parish (56.2) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: St. John the Baptist Parish, LA (69.8); Assumption Parish, LA (67.5); Lafourche Parish, LA (59.1).

  • 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. James Parish's score of 56.2 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    St. James 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. James Parish?

    St. James Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 19,191 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.