Because Allendale has a very large number of students who are 18 years or older and in college, it is thought of as a college town. This has a major influence on local Allendale lifestyle, entertainment, and culture in general. Life in Allendale is very much tied to the academic calendar: when students return from the summer break in the fall, one will notice them out and about, buying groceries, out with friends, and generally getting re-acquainted with each other. In Allendale people study hard and play hard, and there is ample opportunity to do both.
The citizens of Allendale are very well educated compared to the average community in the nation: 39.06% of adults in Allendale have a bachelor's degree or even advanced degree.
The per capita income in Allendale in 2018 was $24,332, which is low income relative to Michigan and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $97,328 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 31.11% of its population below the federal poverty line.
Allendale is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. 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 Spanish.
