Allendale is a medium-sized town located in the state of Michigan. With a population of 27,073 people and five associated neighborhoods, Allendale is the 52nd largest community in Michigan. Much of the housing stock in Allendale was built relatively recently. The construction of new real estate can often be taken as an indication that the local Allendale economy is robust, and that jobs or other amenities are attracting an influx of new residents. This seems to be the case in Allendale, where the median household income is $68,449.00. Allendale real estate is some of the most expensive in Michigan, although Allendale house values don't compare to the most expensive real estate in the U.S.Unlike some towns, Allendale isn’t mainly white- or blue-collar. Instead, the most prevalent occupations for people in Allendale are a mix of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Allendale is a town of service providers, professionals, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Allendale who work in food service (13.76%), office and administrative support (10.89%), and sales jobs (10.48%). A relatively large number of people in Allendale telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 8.64% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes. In addition, Allendale is a major college town that has a very high percentage of its residents over 18 years old who are college students. Naturally, collegiate life has a major influence on local Allendale culture, lifestyle and entertainment options. Allendale really pulses to the beat of the academic calendar. In Allendale every fall, returning students reinvigorate the community, who you will notice are all over town, buying groceries, out with friends, and getting acquainted or re-acquainted with each other and Allendale. One of the beneficial effects that colleges provide is that they tend to be lasting institutions that deliver direct economic benefits to the local economy in the form of such things as jobs for faculty and staff, and spending by students. Allendale benefits directly from this. The education level of Allendale ranks among the highest in the nation. Of the 25-and-older adult population in Allendale, 42.88% have at least a bachelor's degree. The typical US community has just 21.84% of its adults holding a bachelor's degree or graduate degree. The per capita income in Allendale in 2022 was $25,657, which is low income relative to Michigan and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $102,628 for a family of four. However, Allendale contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. Allendale also has one of the higher rates of people living in poverty in the nation, with 30.61% of its population below the federal poverty line. The people who call Allendale home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Allendale residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Allendale include German, Dutch, Irish, Polish, and English. The most common language spoken in Allendale is English. Other important languages spoken here include Polish and Italian.
