Union Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Elevated · 61.4 | 20,650 people · 47th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Union Parish, LA registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 61.4 — 854th 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 47th of 64 counties. It scores lower than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Union Parish's primary driver is Legal Distress at 98.8 — worse than roughly 99% of U.S. counties.

Legal Distress Primary driver 98.8
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 99
Structural Poverty 72.2
Unemployment Rate 76
Poverty Rate 79
Income vs. State Median 52
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 57
Transfer Income Dependency 85
Consumer Credit Distress 65.0
Debt in Collections 75
Medical Debt 67
Auto Loan Delinquency 47
Credit Card Delinquency 53
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 83
Economic Vitality 63.2
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 76
Rent-to-Income Ratio 69
Business Formation Rate 49
House Price Change (YoY) 4
Housing Cost Burden 34.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 35
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 39
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 4
Homeownership Rate 41

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Union Parish
Union Parish, LA 61.4 Elevated —
Morehouse Parish, LA 82.1 Crisis +20.7
Ouachita Parish, LA 77.5 Serious +16.1
Claiborne Parish, LA 74.8 Serious +13.4
Ashley County, AR 73.7 Serious +12.3
Lincoln Parish, LA 71.7 Serious +10.3
Union County, AR 70.7 Serious +9.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Union Parish
Reeves County, TX 61.4 Elevated 0.0
Charlotte County, VA 61.4 Elevated 0.0
Pawnee County, OK 61.4 Elevated -0.0
Saluda County, SC 61.4 Elevated +0.0
Winchester city, VA 61.4 Elevated -0.0

Download Data

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

Find Help in Union 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 Union 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 Union Parish, Louisiana?

    Union Parish has a County Distress Index score of 61.4 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 854th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 47th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Union Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Union Parish is Legal Distress, where the county scores 98.8 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Bankruptcy Filing Rate.

  • How does Union Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Union Parish (61.4) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Morehouse Parish, LA (82.1); Ouachita Parish, LA (77.5); Claiborne Parish, LA (74.8).

  • 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). Union Parish's score of 61.4 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

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

    Union 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 Union Parish?

    Union Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 20,650 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.