St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 69.8 | 39,592 people · 31st most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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St. John the Baptist Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 69.8 — 397th 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 31st of 64 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. John the Baptist Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 93.7 — worse than roughly 94% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 93.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 94
Consumer Credit Distress 89.1
Debt in Collections 96
Medical Debt 69
Auto Loan Delinquency 97
Credit Card Delinquency 99
Uninsured Rate 40
Subprime Credit Population 99
Structural Poverty 57.7
Unemployment Rate 80
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 18
Child Poverty Rate 87
Disability Rate 44
Transfer Income Dependency 65
Housing Cost Burden 43.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 46
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 40
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 75
Homeownership Rate 20
Economic Vitality 33.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 20
Rent-to-Income Ratio 81
Business Formation Rate 6
House Price Change (YoY) 12

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. John the Baptist Parish
St. John the Baptist Parish, LA 69.8 Serious —
Tangipahoa Parish, LA 77.8 Serious +8.0
Jefferson Parish, LA 70.9 Serious +1.1
Livingston Parish, LA 61.3 Elevated -8.5
St. Charles Parish, LA 60.2 Elevated -9.6
Lafourche Parish, LA 59.1 Elevated -10.7
St. James Parish, LA 56.2 Elevated -13.6
Ascension Parish, LA 51.7 Elevated -18.1

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. John the Baptist Parish
Conecuh County, AL 69.7 Serious -0.1
Little River County, AR 69.7 Serious -0.1
Toombs County, GA 69.7 Serious -0.1
Glades County, FL 69.7 Serious -0.1
Emanuel County, GA 69.6 Serious -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for St. John the Baptist Parish as a CSV file.

Find Help in St. John the Baptist 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. John the Baptist 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.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Louisiana →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana?

    St. John the Baptist Parish has a County Distress Index score of 69.8 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 397th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 31st in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. John the Baptist Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in St. John the Baptist Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 93.7 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does St. John the Baptist Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    St. John the Baptist Parish (69.8) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Tangipahoa Parish, LA (77.8); Jefferson Parish, LA (70.9); Livingston Parish, LA (61.3).

  • 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 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. John the Baptist Parish's score of 69.8 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power St. John the Baptist Parish's CDI score?

    St. John the Baptist 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. John the Baptist Parish?

    St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 39,592 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.