1st Advantage MortgageThe median Allen Parish household earns $46,469, and 23% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Louisiana license first.
On this page
- A quick profile of Allen Parish
- What it costs to live in Allen Parish
- What Allen Parish households earn
- The Allen Parish job picture
- Counties near Allen Parish
- Towns and communities in Allen Parish
- Debt-to-income at Allen Parish's medians
- People and households in Allen Parish
- Reading the Allen Parish data as a borrower
- Licensing and complaints for Allen Parish
- Steps before you apply in Allen Parish
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Allen Parish
Allen Parish is home to about 22,477 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 39th most populous of 64 county-level areas in Louisiana. Land area is 762 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 29 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Oakdale is the biggest of its 5 Census places, at roughly 6,546 people (29% of the county total).
What it costs to live in Allen Parish
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $775 in Allen Parish versus $1,064 statewide. By the Census definition, 58% of Allen Parish renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $104,500, a typical Allen Parish house costs 2.2 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 74%. Half the housing stock was built before 1983.
| Home costs | Allen Parish | Louisiana | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $775/mo | $1,064/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $104,500 | $216,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 58% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 28% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 18% | 14% | n/a |
Because most Allen Parish households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral. Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
What Allen Parish households earn
The median household income in Allen Parish is $46,469; statewide it is $60,756, so Allen Parish runs 24% below Louisiana as a whole. In the state ranking that is 46th of 64.
| Households earning | Allen Parish | +/- vs Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 39.9% | +9.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.3% | +0.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 18.1% | -4.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 1.7% | -6.1 pts |
About 40% of households earn under $35,000, while 20% clear $100,000. 23.1% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 18.9%). For a borrower in Allen Parish, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
The Allen Parish job picture
The biggest employer of Allen Parish residents, by industry, is education and health care at 26% of workers, followed by arts, lodging and food service (14%). The sharpest difference from the state is in arts, lodging and food service, at 14% locally and 9% for Louisiana. Averaged over the five survey years, 9.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 24% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. 7.9% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Allen Parish share | +/- vs Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.6% | +0.1 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 13.8% | +4.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.0% | +4.4 pts |
| Construction | 9.5% | +1.2 pts |
| Public administration | 8.5% | +3.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 6.3% | -4.8 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Allen Parish should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Counties near Allen Parish
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Allen Parish's, from 25 to 41 miles away. Income ranges from $41,915 in Evangeline Parish to $65,944 in Beauregard Parish; 4 of these neighbors top Allen Parish's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Parish | - | $46,469 | $775/mo | 74% |
| Evangeline Parish, LA | 25 mi | $41,915 | $681/mo | 66% |
| Jefferson Davis Parish, LA | 26 mi | $57,341 | $848/mo | 77% |
| Beauregard Parish, LA | 31 mi | $65,944 | $898/mo | 85% |
| Acadia Parish, LA | 35 mi | $45,562 | $681/mo | 67% |
| Vernon Parish, LA | 38 mi | $57,270 | $1,068/mo | 56% |
| Rapides Parish, LA | 41 mi | $54,967 | $950/mo | 65% |
Towns and communities in Allen Parish
Here are the 5 most populous of the county's 5 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 50% of Allen Parish residents live in one of the 5. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $31,738 in Oberlin to $42,540 in Oakdale. No Allen Parish place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 5.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakdale | city | 6,546 | $42,540 | $873 | 15 mi |
| Kinder | town | 2,317 | $42,100 | $777 | 12 mi |
| Oberlin | town | 1,809 | $31,738 | $448 | 4 mi |
| Elizabeth | village | 373 | $49,286 | $790 | 15 mi |
| Reeves | village | 223 | $33,917 | $677 | 16 mi |
Debt-to-income at Allen Parish's medians
How much room does a median Allen Parish budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $3,872 gross per month ($46,469 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $775, takes 20% of that
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $619 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Allen Parish's.
People and households in Allen Parish
College graduates make up 12% of the adult population. 7.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Allen Parish | Louisiana statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 11.9% | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 19.3% | 12.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.2% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.9% | 8.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 9.8% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Allen Parish workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 42.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 19.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.1% |
| 60+ min | 14.4% |
Reading the Allen Parish data as a borrower
Where the Allen Parish numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Long drives. With 24% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Allen Parish budgets.
- Manufactured homes. 22% of Allen Parish housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- 23% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- Rent squeeze. 58% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
Licensing and complaints for Allen Parish
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Allen Parish, check the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. See the Louisiana state guide for the statewide picture.
Steps before you apply in Allen Parish
Quick steps for Allen Parish:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- A Louisiana license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Louisiana guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Allen Parish earn?
The median is $46,469; 20% earn $100,000 or more and 40% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Allen Parish?
$775 a month at the median, about 20% of median household income.
Does this page cover Oakdale?
Yes, along with the other 4 Census places in Allen Parish, such as Kinder, Oberlin, Elizabeth.
Are Allen Parish applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Is there a Allen Parish office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Louisiana it is the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions.