Town · Louisiana
Jena, Louisiana
Jena, town, in LaSalle Parish, Louisiana. Jena had 4,229 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,155 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,160 (±18). GEOID 2238285.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,229
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,155 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,160 ±18
Median household income
$71,730
±$24,533 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $60,756
Median home value
$139,700
±$31,281 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $216,500
Median gross rent
$906
±$256 (90% margin)
Louisiana: $1,064
Where is Jena and what county is it in?
Jena is a town in LaSalle Parish, Louisiana. It covers 5.5 square miles of land, 756 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Jena, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,229 people lived in Jena on July 1, 2025, up 1.8% since 2020, while Louisiana shrank 0.9%. The 2020 Census counted 4,155 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,160 (±18).
| Measure | Jena | LaSalle Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,160 ±18 | 14,789 | +751 |
| Households | 1,463 ±172 | 5,049 | +294 |
| Average household size | 2.65 ±0.30 | 2.73 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,681 ±187 | 6,202 | no clear change |
Jena's population since 2000
From 2,971 in 2000 to 4,229 in 2025: up 42.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Jena as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Jena?
The median resident of Jena is 34.7 years old; 25.6% are under 18 and 15.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 11.9%.
| Measure | Jena | LaSalle Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 ±1.3 | 36.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.6% ±4.2 pts | 23.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.0% ±3.8 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Male | 55.3% ±5.0 pts | 52.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.6 pts | 9.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.2% ±7.2 pts | 75.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 11.9% ±7.6 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±4.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.8% ±2.9 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.6% ±2.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.0% ±4.7 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.2% ±1.1 pts | 3.1% | – |
| With a disability | 13.2% ±5.2 pts | 17.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.6% ±4.0 pts | 3.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.7% ±5.0 pts | 82.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.8% ±8.5 pts | 13.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.9% ±6.1 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.5% ±5.7 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±2.6 pts | 2.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Jena earn?
Half of Jena's 1,463 households earn less than $71,730 a year (±$24,533), against $68,497 in LaSalle Parish and $60,756 in Louisiana. In 2015-2019 it was $57,916 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Jena | LaSalle Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,730 ±$24,533 | $68,497 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $90,125 ±$13,602 | $81,558 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,460 ±$6,120 | $31,649 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.3% ±5.7 pts | 16.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.8% ±8.8 pts | 19.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 11.7% ±6.7 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.3% ±1.7 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.8% ±3.1 pts | 89.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Jena?
Owners occupy 81.3% of Jena's occupied homes and renters 18.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $139,700 by its owner (±$31,281). The median renter pays $906 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Jena | LaSalle Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $139,700 ±$31,281 | $119,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $906 ±$256 | $657 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 14.5% ±20.2 pts | 18.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,597 ±$177 | $1,234 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 81.3% ±10.9 pts | 80.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 18.7% ±10.9 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Housing units | 1,681 ±187 | 6,202 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.9% ±4.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±15.2 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.1% ±7.3 pts | 62.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.2% ±7.0 pts | 31.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 11.7% ±7.0 pts | 16.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.8% ±6.6 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.1% ±2.3 pts | 6.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Jena building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Jena in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.2 per 1,000 residents against 3.1 across Louisiana.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Jena work and get to work?
74.7% of Jena's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 36.4 minutes.
| Measure | Jena | LaSalle Parish | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.5% ±6.1 pts | 55.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.6% ±2.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 74.7% ±8.7 pts | 74.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.7% ±7.2 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Walked | 2.1% ±3.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.0% ±4.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 36.4 min ±11.2 | 32.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Jena?
1 census tract lies mostly in Jena (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9702LaSalle Parish | 6,546 | $71,266 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Jena) · Census block assignment files
How does Jena compare with other places in Louisiana?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Jena is the 5,367th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 71st-most populous of 304 in Louisiana.
Jena ranks 67th of 251 places in Louisiana with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 71st | 304 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 33rd | 156 |
| Residents per square mile | 158th | 263 |
| Median household income | 67th | 251 |
| Per capita income | 62nd | 263 |
| Median home value | 167th | 247 |
| Median gross rent | 128th | 229 |
| Poverty rate | 186th | 216 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 92nd | 229 |
| Median age | 196th | 262 |
| Owner-occupied share | 64th | 260 |
| Travel time to work | 15th | 260 |
Jena's figures with every place in Louisiana (CSV)
Every place in Louisiana, sortable · Compare Jena with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Jena?
22 of the 57 figures for Jena on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Jena are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Jena.