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Living in
Opelousas.
About
Life in Opelousas
If you're seriously considering a move to Opelousas, you're looking at a small city where your money goes further than it would in most of America—median home values hover around $105,000 and rent runs about $717 a month, which means housing affordability is genuinely one of the biggest draws here. The job market is modest but stable, anchored by agriculture, oil, manufacturing, and some solid employers like a Walmart distribution center (over 600 jobs) and Evangeline Downs racetrack, plus you've got a real economic footprint from Tony Chachere's spice company, which ships worldwide from right here—that matters for the local character and stability. This is a place with deep cultural roots: you're living in the birthplace of zydeco music, surrounded by French and Spanish Creole heritage, and the community takes that seriously through institutions like the Creoles of Color Heritage Folklife Center.
Opelousas at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
37.4%
Foreign-Born
0.8%
Broadband Internet
67.4%
of households
Population Growth
-4.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics0.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Opelousas: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Opelousas, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (92.9%), and 2.2% of residents speak French/Haitian at home.
Under 18
25.2%
of residents
65 and Older
16.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.5%
of households
Married Couples
21.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 33% below LA average
Rent, home values, and income in Opelousas
In Opelousas, rent runs 33% below the LA average, and home values are 51% below the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.1%
spending 50%+
Homeowners
52.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1975
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $130,510 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above LA average
Unemployment in Opelousas
Unemployment in St. Landry Parish, which includes Opelousas, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the LA average.
Unemployment rate
Opelousas: St. Landry Parish rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
St. Landry Parish (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Opelousas Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.3 min avg
How Opelousas residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Opelousas, most residents drive alone to work (84%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Lafayette Regional Airport (LFT)
Regional airport · few flights294k passengers boarded in 2025
- 114 mi
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Medium hub6.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 324% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Opelousas runs 324% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,397.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
4,643.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Opelousas Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 8 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
88.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Landry County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Landry Parish, which includes Opelousas, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 8 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $47,000 |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $126,000 |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $312,000 |
| 2022 | 2 | Flash Flood | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 5 | Tornado | $1.0M |
| 2020 | 6 | Tornado | $120.3M |
| 2019 | 6 | Flash Flood | $164,000 |
| 2018 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $112,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
St. Landry Parish, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lafayette Parish, LA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 22 miles from Opelousas) is typically good — 238 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
238
per year
Moderate Days
124
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Lafayette Parish, LA (22 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Opelousas has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/57°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/72°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
64.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
93
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
18
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
96
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 41°F | 6.54" |
| Feb | 67°F | 45°F | 4.51" |
| Mar | 74°F | 51°F | 3.75" |
| Apr | 79°F | 57°F | 5.34" |
| May | 86°F | 65°F | 5.72" |
| Jun | 90°F | 70°F | 6.97" |
| Jul | 92°F | 73°F | 4.41" |
| Aug | 92°F | 72°F | 4.36" |
| Sep | 88°F | 68°F | 5.14" |
| Oct | 81°F | 58°F | 5.04" |
| Nov | 71°F | 48°F | 4.97" |
| Dec | 65°F | 43°F | 4.88" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Opelousas
Opelousas has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
7.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Opelousas General Health System
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Oceans Behavioral Hospital of Opelousas
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Acadia St Landry
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 11.9 mi away · Church Point
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Opelousas
Opelousas's student/teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 10.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
10.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Natchez National Historical Park, 82 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Opelousas
Opelousas has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Natchez National Historical Park (82 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Natchez National Historical Park
National Historical Park
82 mi awayCane River Creole National Historical Park
National Historical Park
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Opelousas
Opelousas Public Library
212 East Grolee Street, Opelousas
Cities Near Opelousas
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Opelousas?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Opelousas FAQ
Is Opelousas, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Opelousas's median rent is $717/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $32,964/year. Median home value is $105,100.
Is Opelousas, Louisiana safe?⌄
Opelousas's violent crime rate was 1397 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 4644 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Opelousas, Louisiana?⌄
St. Landry Parish, which includes Opelousas, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Opelousas, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Opelousas is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $717/month and median household income is $32,964/year. The median home value is $105,100. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Opelousas, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Opelousas is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from