United States › Louisiana › Tensas Parish COUNTY
Tensas Parish Louisiana · 3,700 residents (2025 est.) · 603 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Tensas Parish is a county of 3,935 people in Louisiana. 34.4% of people here live below the federal poverty line. At a median age of 47.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $86,300. Density works out to 7 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,618 in 2000
3,700 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 10 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 5K 6K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Tensas Parish Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $36,615
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $19,799 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,622 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 36.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.477 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9%
Transportation & warehousing 5.7%
Public administration 3.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.2%
Education & health services 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$86,300
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$601
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $265 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.1% in 2000
25.8% rent
from 31.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.24 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 35.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 42.9%(2,842)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(83)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 41.3%(1,625)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(43)
from 62 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 38 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 14.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 63.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 49.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 51.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 41.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 67.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 41.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 29.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 44.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 38.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 63.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 3.8%(6)
Share of the 156 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Tensas Parish Head to head
Compare Tensas Parish to nearby counties TENSAS PARISH VS
Franklin Parish
Income $47,020 +28%
Home value $113,000 +31%
Population 19,002 +414%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TENSAS PARISH VS
Madison Parish
Income $35,456 −3%
Home value $96,200 +11%
Population 8,844 +139%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TENSAS PARISH VS
Claiborne County
Income $31,897 −13%
Home value $82,700 −4%
Population 8,058 +118%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TENSAS PARISH VS
Jefferson County
Income $38,305 +5%
Home value $81,300 −6%
Population 6,825 +84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Tensas Parish, Louisiana? Tensas Parish, Louisiana has about 3,935 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Tensas Parish, Louisiana? The typical household in Tensas Parish, Louisiana earns about $36,615 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Tensas Parish, Louisiana expensive? In Tensas Parish, Louisiana, the median home is worth about $86,300, and the typical rent is about $601 a month.
How educated are people in Tensas Parish, Louisiana? About 14.6% of adults age 25 and over in Tensas Parish, Louisiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Tensas Parish, Louisiana? About 34.4% of people in Tensas Parish, Louisiana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Tensas Parish, Louisiana grown since 1990? Yes, Tensas Parish, Louisiana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,168 residents, a change of about -45 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 