St. Mary Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.1 | 47,055 people · 24th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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St. Mary Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.1 — 309th 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 24th of 64 counties. Among its 4 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. Mary Parish's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 86.6 — worse than roughly 87% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 86.6
Debt in Collections 93
Medical Debt 91
Auto Loan Delinquency 90
Credit Card Delinquency 90
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 90
Structural Poverty 72.6
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 90
Income vs. State Median 60
Child Poverty Rate 92
Disability Rate 53
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Housing Cost Burden 60.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 70
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 61
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 10
Homeownership Rate 71
Legal Distress 58.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 59
Economic Vitality 35.8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 4
Rent-to-Income Ratio 60
Business Formation Rate 52
House Price Change (YoY) 96

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Mary Parish
St. Mary Parish, LA 72.1 Serious —
Iberia Parish, LA 72.9 Serious +0.8
St. Martin Parish, LA 68.5 Serious -3.6
Assumption Parish, LA 67.5 Serious -4.6
Terrebonne Parish, LA 66.8 Serious -5.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. St. Mary Parish
Barbour County, AL 72.1 Serious -0.0
Hale County, AL 72.1 Serious +0.0
Luna County, NM 72.1 Serious +0.0
Cibola County, NM 72.1 Serious -0.0
Palo Pinto County, TX 72.2 Serious +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in St. Mary Parish

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near St. Mary Parish.

SAINT MARY COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY, INC.
Franklin
337-828-5703 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHomeless/DisplacementPre-Purchase

See all counselors in Louisiana →

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. Mary 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. Mary Parish, Louisiana?

    St. Mary Parish has a County Distress Index score of 72.1 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 309th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 24th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in St. Mary Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in St. Mary Parish is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 86.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

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

    St. Mary Parish (72.1) can be compared to its 4 neighboring counties: Iberia Parish, LA (72.9); St. Martin Parish, LA (68.5); Assumption Parish, LA (67.5).

  • 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. Mary Parish's score of 72.1 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

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

    St. Mary 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. Mary Parish?

    St. Mary Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 47,055 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.