Population 3,935 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Tensas Parish
Household size in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.29 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Tensas Parish are small: just 2.36 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Few Louisiana counties have smaller households: only four of 64.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.8 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.6 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 51.8 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +11.1 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Tensas Parish skews older: half of its residents are older than 51.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.7 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change. Tensas Parish has the oldest population of any Louisiana county.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.7% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Tensas Parish (10.5%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. Few Louisiana counties have a lower share of single-parent households: only two of 64.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Tensas Parish
Renters in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.3% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.5% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.8% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −14.1 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Tensas Parish own their homes; 25.8% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 74.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.1% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 45.2% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.4% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 43.4% of the housing in Tensas Parish, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. No other Louisiana county has a higher vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Tensas Parish run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. Only one other Louisiana county has older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $436 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $481 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $583 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $566 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$130 | +$366 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Tensas Parish costs $566 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 36.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. No other Louisiana county has lower rents.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Tensas Parish
Bachelor's degrees in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Tensas Parish have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 14.6%, against 35.6% nationally. Compared with other Louisiana counties, Tensas Parish has a lower share of college graduates than most.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.0% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.1% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.6% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.9% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in five adults in Tensas Parish never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Tensas Parish has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Louisiana counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Tensas Parish
| Period | Tensas Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Tensas Parish: 10.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only five of Louisiana's 64 counties have higher unemployment. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Tensas Parish compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tensas Parish | 2.36 | 51.8 | 10.5% | 25.8% | 43.4% | 1972 | $566 | 14.6% | 80.9% | 10.3% |
| Claiborne County | 2.57 | 37.0 | 13.2% | 23.5% | 31.6% | 1983 | $601 | 17.5% | 83.4% | 5.4% |
| Caldwell Parish | 2.49 | 40.2 | 17.4% | 31.1% | 19.6% | 1987 | $983 | 11.7% | 81.6% | 10.1% |
| Copiah County | 2.74 | 40.9 | 12.8% | 25.6% | 19.0% | 1985 | $794 | 18.9% | 86.5% | 5.6% |
| Winn Parish | 2.53 | 41.0 | 15.7% | 28.8% | 25.1% | 1977 | $767 | 14.9% | 84.0% | 6.2% |
| Simpson County | 2.67 | 41.7 | 13.9% | 18.6% | 18.7% | 1988 | $877 | 16.0% | 83.0% | 4.1% |
| Smith County | 2.66 | 42.0 | 13.4% | 12.6% | 16.1% | 1988 | $671 | 16.1% | 85.6% | 4.5% |
| Red River Parish | 2.41 | 42.6 | 13.4% | 22.7% | 13.3% | 1983 | $781 | 13.9% | 83.1% | 5.4% |
| Jasper County | 2.42 | 42.2 | 13.3% | 17.9% | 17.9% | 1989 | $705 | 13.5% | 90.5% | 8.2% |
| Clarke County | 2.63 | 42.7 | 13.6% | 17.7% | 20.3% | 1985 | $789 | 17.3% | 88.7% | 7.4% |
| Shelby County | 2.63 | 38.2 | 17.6% | 26.0% | 17.6% | 1984 | $833 | 15.4% | 83.8% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Adams County, ND · Wichita County, KS · Alpine County, CA · Ness County, KS · Northumberland County, VA · Noble County, OH · Niobrara County, WY · Nicholas County, KY · Newton County, TX · Newton County, IN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Tensas Parish. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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