Webster Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Crisis · 80.3 | 35,238 people · 4th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Webster Parish, LA ranks among the most financially distressed counties in America with a score of 80.3 — 56th 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 4th of 64 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Webster 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
Housing Cost Burden 86.8
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 99
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 99
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 21
Homeownership Rate 77
Consumer Credit Distress 85.8
Debt in Collections 88
Medical Debt 83
Auto Loan Delinquency 92
Credit Card Delinquency 92
Uninsured Rate 41
Subprime Credit Population 92
Structural Poverty 78.4
Unemployment Rate 74
Poverty Rate 87
Income vs. State Median 77
Child Poverty Rate 88
Disability Rate 65
Transfer Income Dependency 79
Economic Vitality 28.5
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 56
Business Formation Rate 25
House Price Change (YoY) 34

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

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster Parish
Webster Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis —
Claiborne Parish, LA 74.8 Serious -5.5
Bienville Parish, LA 71.6 Serious -8.7
Lafayette County, AR 68.3 Serious -12.1
Columbia County, AR 68.1 Serious -12.2
Bossier Parish, LA 67.0 Serious -13.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Webster Parish
St. Bernard Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis -0.0
Polk County, GA 80.3 Crisis -0.1
Concordia Parish, LA 80.3 Crisis -0.1
Grady County, GA 80.4 Crisis +0.1
Sumter County, GA 80.0 Crisis -0.3

Download Data

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

Find Help in Webster 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 Webster 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 Webster Parish, Louisiana?

    Webster Parish has a County Distress Index score of 80.3 out of 100, placing it in the Crisis zone. It ranks 56th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 4th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Webster Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Webster 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 Webster Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Webster Parish (80.3) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Claiborne Parish, LA (74.8); Bienville Parish, LA (71.6); Lafayette County, AR (68.3).

  • 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 Crisis 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). Webster Parish's score of 80.3 sits in the Crisis zone (86 and above).

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

    Webster 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 Webster Parish?

    Webster Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 35,238 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.