Allen Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States, southwest of Alexandria in the southwestern part of the state. It had a population of 22,750 at the 2020 census and covers 766 square miles (1,980 km2) centred near 30°40′N 92°50′W.
Oberlin is the parish seat, and its postal code is 70655. The parish has one city, two towns, two villages, and several unincorporated communities. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Allen Parish
Allen Parish has five incorporated places — one city, two towns, and two villages — plus a scatter of unincorporated crossroads communities. Louisiana calls its counties “parishes” but does not use civil townships, so no Township column applies here.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakdale | City | 7,584 | 71463 |
| Oberlin | Town · seat | 1,608 | 70655 |
| Kinder | Town | 2,238 | 70648 |
| Elizabeth | Village | 657 | — |
| Reeves | Village | 468 | 70658 |
| Grant | Unincorp. | — | 70644 |
| Mittie | Unincorp. | — | 70654 |
| Lauderdale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Le Blanc | Unincorp. | — | 70651 |
| Le Jeune | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bernard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Canton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cherry Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elder | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Emad | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Foley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hampton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harmony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Indian Village | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lyles | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mab | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pawnee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Reids | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Simmons Settlement | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Soileau | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stanley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tenmile | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ward | Unincorp. | — | — |
Oakdale, the parish’s largest city, sits apart from the seat at Oberlin — a common pattern in Louisiana, where the courthouse town and the commercial hub are not always the same place. “Grandview Mobile Estates,” carried on older lists as a settlement, is a manufactured-home community rather than a historic place name and is omitted here.
ZIP Codes
- 71463 — Oakdale
- 70655 — Oberlin
- 70648 — Kinder
- 70658 — Reeves
- 70654 — Mittie
- 70638 — Elizabeth (PO Box)
- 70651 — Le Blanc (PO Box)
- 70644 — Grant (PO Box)
Smaller unincorporated communities such as Bel, Bond, Canton, and Ward share a ZIP code with the nearest post office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Allen Parish lies in the pine flatwoods of southwestern Louisiana, drained by the Calcasieu River and its tributaries along the parish’s western edge. Of its 766 square miles, 762 are land and 4.1 are water. The terrain is mostly flat to gently rolling, given over to timberland, rice fields, and soybean acreage.
Allen Parish borders Vernon Parish and Rapides Parish to the north, Evangeline Parish to the east, Jefferson Davis Parish to the south, and Beauregard Parish to the west.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 22,750 residents in Allen Parish, a density of about 30 people per square mile. Oakdale and Kinder are the two largest communities. Median household income runs below the Louisiana median of $58,229 — the parish’s older, more precisely dated income figure (about $27,777 as of the 2000 census) is too stale to republish here, so only the state comparison is given.
Economy & Local Life
The Coushatta Casino Resort, operated by the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana near Kinder, is the parish’s largest single employer, with roughly 2,600 workers. Timber and lumber production, natural gas operations, and three state and federal prison facilities round out the employment base. Agriculture centres on rice and soybeans, grown on the parish’s flatter southern acreage.
History
Allen Parish was organized in 1912, carved out of the larger Calcasieu Parish to the southwest. It was named for Henry Watkins Allen, a Confederate States Army general who served as Louisiana’s governor from 1864 to 1865. Oakdale grew up around the timber industry in the early 20th century and later became known for its federal detention facility; Oberlin, the smaller seat, has held the parish courthouse since the parish’s founding.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 165 and 190 cross the parish, along with Louisiana Highways 10, 26, 104, 112, and 383.
- Alexandria — about 40 miles northeast
- Lake Charles — about 35 miles southwest
- DeRidder — about 20 miles west
- Ville Platte — about 25 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Lake Charles Regional Airport, roughly 35 miles southwest of Oberlin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Allen Parish?
It is in southwestern Louisiana, southwest of Alexandria and northeast of Lake Charles.
What is the population of Allen Parish?
22,750 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Allen Parish?
766 square miles (1,980 km2), of which 762 square miles is land.
What is the Allen Parish seat?
Oberlin is the parish seat.
How many towns are in Allen Parish?
Five incorporated places — one city, two towns, and two villages — plus more than two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Allen Parish?
Oakdale is 71463, Oberlin is 70655, Kinder is 70648, Reeves is 70658, and Mittie is 70654, among others.
What is Allen Parish’s largest employer?
The Coushatta Casino Resort near Kinder, with about 2,600 employees.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Louisiana.