About ZIP 71459

ZIP code 71459 serves Fort Polk in Vernon, Louisiana. It centers near 31.0466°, -93.2054° and, by population, qualifies as a small-town or low-density suburban ZIP. Roughly 10,402 people are estimated to live within its boundaries based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018–2022).

The median household earns about $51,967 per year here. The typical owner-occupied home is valued near —, and asking rents on the open market sit around $1,109 per month. Compared to the rest of Louisiana, that makes 71459 in line with the state average. Looking at the entire state, the average ZIP code reports a median income closer to $36,227 and a median home value of $101,621.

The median resident is around 23.0 years old, and roughly 6.8% of the population holds at least a bachelor's degree. Unemployment estimates from the same Census release put the share of unemployed adults around 0.8% of the total population (the labor-force-only rate is higher, since not every resident is counted as "in the labor force").

Cost of living read

If you're considering a move into 71459, the most useful exercise is to compare the housing math against your current ZIP. Here, a typical home runs — and a typical rental runs $1,109 a month. Translate that into your own budget:

At a 7% 30-year mortgage with 20% down, financing the median home here lands monthly principal & interest near — — before property tax, insurance, or HOA dues.
Renting the median unit at $1,109/mo costs roughly $13,308 per year, or about 25.6% of the local median household income.
For movers from substantially cheaper or more expensive metros, the home-value gap (+— versus the state average of $101,621) is often the single biggest line item to plan for.

Who lives here

The age and education profile of a ZIP tells you a lot about what daily life feels like there. With a median age of 23.0 and a population of 10,402, ZIP 71459 reads as younger-skewing — closer to a college town, early-career city neighborhood, or family-formation suburb. The bachelor's-degree share around 6.8% is on the lower end, often reflecting trade-economy or rural labor markets.

Geography & nearby ZIPs

This ZIP centers at 31.0466, -93.2054. The eight closest neighboring ZIP codes are listed below — useful if you're scoping out the surrounding area, comparing schools, or just want a feel for the broader neighborhood than this one boundary captures.

71446 Leesville, LA 71461 New Llano, LA 71496 Leesville, LA 70659 Rosepine, LA 71475 Slagle, LA 70634 Deridder, LA 71403 Anacoco, LA 70656 Pitkin, LA

Race & ethnicity (2019–2023 ACS)

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2019–2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates (table B03002) count 10,090 people in this ZIP Code Tabulation Area — a newer, supplemental release added alongside the core figures above. See the methodology page for why the core figures themselves have not yet been refreshed to this vintage.

Group	Count	% of total
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,291	22.7%
White alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	5,171	51.2%
Black or African American alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	1,697	16.8%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	17	0.2%
Asian alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	223	2.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	83	0.8%
Some other race alone (not Hispanic or Latino)	55	0.5%
Two or more races (not Hispanic or Latino)	553	5.5%

Poverty status (2019–2023 ACS)

Of the 8,774 residents here for whom the Census Bureau determines poverty status (table B17001), 1,427 (16.3%) were below the poverty line in the past 12 months.

Commuting (2019–2023 ACS)

Among the 4,855 workers age 16+ here who did not work from home (table B08303), the Census Bureau's own travel-time brackets break down like this:

Travel time to work	Workers	% of workers
Less than 5 minutes	442	9.1%
5 to 9 minutes	1,421	29.3%
10 to 14 minutes	1,598	32.9%
15 to 19 minutes	943	19.4%
20 to 24 minutes	163	3.4%
25 to 29 minutes	19	0.4%
30 to 34 minutes	87	1.8%
35 to 39 minutes	26	0.5%
40 to 44 minutes	0	0.0%
45 to 59 minutes	24	0.5%
60 to 89 minutes	132	2.7%
90 minutes or more	0	0.0%

Housing occupancy (2019–2023 ACS)

Of the 3,652 housing units counted here (table B25002), 3,247 (88.9%) were occupied and 405 (11.1%) were vacant.

How to use this profile

Treat ZipLocal Guide as a starting point — never the final word — when you're researching a relocation. The Census ACS data on this page are reliable medians for the ZIP code tabulation area, but they tell you nothing about which side of the freeway you should live on, which streets the local high schoolers actually walk to school, or how the neighborhood has changed since the 2022 estimate window. For those, walk the area, talk to people on the street, and verify your assumptions with a local agent or community group.

If you find this neighborhood interesting, the easiest next step is to view all ZIPs in Fort Polk or browse the rest of Louisiana.

ZIP Code 71459 — Fort Polk, LA