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%). Telecommuters are a relatively large percentage of the workforce: 8.64% of people work from home. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce it is high relative to the nation. 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. Allendale is also a major college town with a large number of people who are 18 years or older and attending college. As is often the case in college towns, the many students that live in Allendale have a strong influence on the local culture and entertainment scene, which may seem dormant by comparison in the summer months when much of the student population is away. In the fall, the return of students has a reinvigorating effect on the community. Because colleges are lasting institutions, they have a stabilizing effect on the economy by providing direct local benefits such as jobs for faculty and staff and spending by students. Allendale’s economy is one such example of 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.
