Tensas Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Serious · 71.2 | 3,764 people · 27th most distressed in Louisiana
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Tensas Parish, LA shows significant household financial distress with a score of 71.2 — 342nd 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 27th of 64 counties. Among its 8 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Tensas Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 95.0 — worse than roughly 95% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 95.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 95
Structural Poverty 91.9
Unemployment Rate 93
Poverty Rate 95
Income vs. State Median 95
Child Poverty Rate 95
Disability Rate 81
Transfer Income Dependency 92
Consumer Credit Distress 85.1
Debt in Collections 95
Medical Debt 87
Auto Loan Delinquency 84
Credit Card Delinquency 82
Uninsured Rate 38
Subprime Credit Population 95
Economic Vitality 52.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 26
Rent-to-Income Ratio 91
Business Formation Rate 55
House Price Change (YoY) 66
Housing Cost Burden 28.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 15
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 31
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 72

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Tensas Parish
Tensas Parish, LA 71.2 Serious —
Concordia Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis +9.1
Catahoula Parish, LA 78.7 Serious +7.6
Madison Parish, LA 78.1 Serious +6.9
Adams County, MS 76.9 Serious +5.7
Warren County, MS 73.8 Serious +2.7
Claiborne County, MS 69.2 Serious -2.0
Jefferson County, MS 69.0 Serious -2.2
Franklin Parish, LA 68.0 Serious -3.2

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Tensas Parish
Woodruff County, AR 71.0 Serious -0.2
Lowndes County, AL 70.7 Serious -0.4
Perry County, AL 70.7 Serious -0.5
Wolfe County, KY 70.5 Serious -0.6
Webster County, WV 70.5 Serious -0.6

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Tensas Parish as a CSV file.

Find Help in Tensas 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 Tensas 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 Tensas Parish, Louisiana?

    Tensas Parish has a County Distress Index score of 71.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 342nd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 27th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Tensas Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Tensas Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 95.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Tensas Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Tensas Parish (71.2) can be compared to its 8 neighboring counties: Concordia Parish, LA (80.3); Catahoula Parish, LA (78.7); Madison Parish, LA (78.1).

  • 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). Tensas Parish's score of 71.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Tensas Parish's CDI score?

    Tensas 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 Tensas Parish?

    Tensas Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 3,764 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a tiny county.