Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

County Distress Index: Normal · 48.2 | 249,750 people · 57th most distressed in Louisiana
American Default Research

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Lafayette Parish, LA falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 48.2 — 1731st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Debt & Delinquency, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Louisiana, it ranks 57th of 64 counties. It scores lower than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Lafayette Parish's primary driver is Debt & Delinquency at 71.6 — above the national median.

Debt & Delinquency Primary driver 71.6
Debt in Collections 70
Medical Debt 82
Student Loan Delinquency 76
Auto Loan Delinquency 73
Credit Card Delinquency 56
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 73
Housing Cost Burden 62.6
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 83
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 41
Homeownership Rate 82
Rent-to-Income Ratio 29
Income & Poverty 51.7
Poverty Rate 72
Income vs. State Median 16
Child Poverty Rate 66
Community Vulnerability 36.0
Uninsured Rate 53
Disability Rate 19
Employment & Wages 19.1
Unemployment Rate 38
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 14
Business Formation Rate 6

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Lafayette Parish compares to its 5 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Lafayette Parish
Lafayette Parish, LA 48.2 Normal —
Acadia Parish, LA 66.1 Serious +17.9
St. Landry Parish, LA 65.4 Serious +17.2
Iberia Parish, LA 62.3 Elevated +14.0
St. Martin Parish, LA 58.6 Elevated +10.4
Vermilion Parish, LA 53.6 Elevated +5.4

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Lafayette Parish
New Hanover County, NC 48.2 Normal 0.0
Maury County, TN 48.2 Normal +0.0
Bay County, MI 48.2 Normal +0.0
Van Buren County, MI 48.3 Normal +0.0
Kenosha County, WI 48.3 Normal +0.1

Download Data

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

Find Help in Lafayette Parish

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Lafayette Parish.

LAFAYETTE CONSOLIDATED GOVERNMENT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNSELING SERVICES
Lafayette
337-291-5450 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
SAINT MARTIN, IBERIA, LAFAYETTE COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY
LAFAYETTE
337-234-3272-203 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair Housing
STEP UP ACADIANA
Lafayette
337-484-1501 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/Rehab

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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?

    Lafayette Parish has a County Distress Index score of 48.2 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 1,731st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 57th in Louisiana out of 64 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Lafayette Parish?

    The primary driver of distress in Lafayette Parish is Debt & Delinquency, where the county scores 71.6 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Student Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Lafayette Parish compare to neighboring counties?

    Lafayette Parish (48.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Acadia Parish, LA (66.1); St. Landry Parish, LA (65.4); Iberia Parish, LA (62.3).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. 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.

  • What is the population of Lafayette Parish?

    Lafayette Parish, Louisiana has a population of approximately 249,750 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a mid county.