1st Advantage MortgageIn Tensas Parish, Louisiana, the typical household earns $36,615 a year and the typical rent is $601. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Tensas Parish
- The Tensas Parish job picture
- How much Tensas Parish households make
- Rent, home values and ownership in Tensas Parish
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Tensas Parish
- Counties near Tensas Parish
- Who lives in Tensas Parish, in numbers
- What the numbers mean for Tensas Parish borrowers
- Room for a loan payment in Tensas Parish
- Checklist for Tensas Parish applicants
- Lender oversight for Tensas Parish
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Tensas Parish
Roughly 3,935 residents live in Tensas Parish, Louisiana, 64th by population among the state's 64 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 603 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 7 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Newellton is the biggest of its 3 Census places, at roughly 997 people (25% of the county total). Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Tensas Parish figure on this page as a rough guide.
The Tensas Parish job picture
The biggest employer of Tensas Parish residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by retail trade (16%). Public administration stands out: 14% of workers here, versus 5% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 11.4% in Tensas Parish. Long commutes are common here: 26% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Top industries | Tensas Parish share | +/- vs Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.7% | -2.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 15.5% | +4.5 pts |
| Public administration | 13.6% | +8.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 10.3% | +0.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 9.0% | +5.9 pts |
| Wholesale trade | 5.7% | +3.4 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
How much Tensas Parish households make
Half of Tensas Parish households take in less than $36,615 a year and half take in more, 40% below the Louisiana median of $60,756.
| Income band | Share in Tensas Parish | Difference from Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 46.1% | +15.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 47.1% | +7.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 5.1% | -17.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 1.8% | -6.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 7% of Tensas Parish households make $100,000 or more, and 46% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 34.4%, 16 points higher than the state's 18.9%. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Rent, home values and ownership in Tensas Parish
A typical Tensas Parish rental runs $601 a month including utilities, which is 44% below Louisiana. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 60% of renter households here. With a median value of $86,300, a typical Tensas Parish house costs 2.4 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 74%.
| Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $601/mo | $1,064/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $86,300 | $216,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 60% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 48% | 28% | n/a |
Because most Tensas 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. High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Tensas Parish
Here are the 3 most populous of the county's 3 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 55% of Tensas Parish residents live in one of the 3. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $21,786 in Waterproof to $38,393 in St. Joseph. None of the 3 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newellton | town | 997 | $25,190 | $542 | 8 mi |
| St. Joseph | town | 603 | $38,393 | $733 | 8 mi |
| Waterproof | town | 576 | $21,786 | $469 | 14 mi |
Counties near Tensas Parish
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (22 to 37 miles). 4 of the six report a higher median household income than Tensas Parish; Richland Parish is highest at $53,544 and Claiborne County lowest at $31,897. Some neighbors are in Mississippi. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Tensas Parish resident follows Louisiana rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensas Parish | - | $36,615 | $601/mo | 74% |
| Franklin Parish, LA | 22 mi | $47,020 | $721/mo | 73% |
| Madison Parish, LA | 25 mi | $35,456 | $649/mo | 53% |
| Claiborne County, MS | 25 mi | $31,897 | $660/mo | 77% |
| Jefferson County, MS | 25 mi | $38,305 | $448/mo | 83% |
| Adams County, MS | 36 mi | $43,644 | $734/mo | 68% |
| Richland Parish, LA | 37 mi | $53,544 | $903/mo | 67% |
Who lives in Tensas Parish, in numbers
Degree holders: 15% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 5.6%, against 7.8% for Louisiana.
| Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 14.6% | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 19.5% | 12.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.6% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.5% | 8.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 34.4% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 11.4% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Tensas Parish |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 41.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.5% |
| 60+ min | 14.4% |
What the numbers mean for Tensas Parish borrowers
A few patterns in the Tensas Parish data, and the practical point behind each:
- Long drives. With 26% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Tensas Parish budgets.
- 19% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- Fixed incomes. Tensas Parish's median age is 47.5. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.
- Free help first. 34% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
Room for a loan payment in Tensas Parish
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Tensas Parish household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $3,051 a month: gross income for a household at the Tensas Parish median
- 20% goes to median rent ($601)
- Under a 40% cap, $1,220 total minus rent leaves $620
If your rent is above $601, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Checklist for Tensas Parish applicants
Quick steps for Tensas Parish:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Tensas Parish.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Ask a Tensas Parish credit union about member loans.
Lender oversight for Tensas Parish
The Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Louisiana license. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. The Louisiana guide covers state rules in more detail.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Louisiana guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Tensas Parish household make?
About $36,615 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 40% below the Louisiana median.
What do renters pay in Tensas Parish?
$601 a month at the median, about 20% of median household income.
I own my home in Tensas Parish. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 74% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Tensas Parish town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Newellton, St. Joseph, Waterproof.
Are Tensas 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.