St. Martin Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 68.5 | 51,057 people · 34th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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St. Martin Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 68.5 — 464th 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 34th of 64 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 4 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. St. Martin Parish's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 78.1 — worse than roughly 78% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 78.1
Debt in Collections 80
Medical Debt 78
Auto Loan Delinquency 91
Credit Card Delinquency 74
Uninsured Rate 37
Subprime Credit Population 83
Legal Distress 74.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 75
Structural Poverty 62.6
Unemployment Rate 58
Poverty Rate 78
Income vs. State Median 43
Child Poverty Rate 85
Disability Rate 60
Transfer Income Dependency 62
Housing Cost Burden 60.9
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 61
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 81
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 44
Homeownership Rate 24
Economic Vitality 40.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 62
Business Formation Rate 36
House Price Change (YoY) 50

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Martin Parish
St. Martin Parish, LA 68.5 Serious —
St. Landry Parish, LA 76.1 Serious +7.6
Iberia Parish, LA 72.9 Serious +4.5
St. Mary Parish, LA 72.1 Serious +3.6
Pointe Coupee Parish, LA 69.2 Serious +0.8
Assumption Parish, LA 67.5 Serious -0.9
Lafayette Parish, LA 62.3 Elevated -6.1
Iberville Parish, LA 58.9 Elevated -9.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Martin Parish
Scioto County, OH 68.5 Serious 0.0
Orange County, TX 68.5 Serious 0.0
Walton County, GA 68.5 Serious -0.0
Montgomery County, TN 68.5 Serious +0.0
Atascosa County, TX 68.4 Serious -0.1

Download Data

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

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

    St. Martin Parish has a County Distress Index score of 68.5 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 464th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 34th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Martin Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Martin Parish is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 78.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

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

    St. Martin Parish (68.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: St. Landry Parish, LA (76.1); Iberia Parish, LA (72.9); St. Mary Parish, LA (72.1).

  • 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 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. Martin Parish's score of 68.5 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    St. Martin 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. Martin Parish?

    St. Martin Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 51,057 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.