City profile · Louisiana · Census ACS 2023

Opelousas, LA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Opelousas - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

15,662
Residents
$36,260
Median income
$113,000
Median home
$834
Median rent (state)

Opelousas - the verdict

Nationally, Opelousas sits in the 5th percentile for household income and the 2nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

5th
percentile, household income
14th
percentile, home value
1st
percentile, median rent
2nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Opelousas, LA

15,662 people live in Opelousas, Louisiana - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Opelousas households earn a median of $36,260 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 31.5%. Typical homes in Opelousas are valued around $113,000, and the median resident age is 34.3 years. About 10.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 43.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 3 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 73% from five years earlier. Opelousas's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 6388.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Louisiana run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Louisiana at 88.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $834 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Louisiana's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 88.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

15,662 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Louisiana

Median Household Income

$36,260 /yr

Poverty 31.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Louisiana average

How does Opelousas compare to other US cities?

Where Opelousas sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 5% higher than other cities
Home value 14% pricier than other cities
Median rent 1% pricier than other cities
Safety 2% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Louisiana and the picture shifts: Opelousas ranks #56 of 60 Louisiana cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Opelousas against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Louisiana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Louisiana-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Opelousas near the bottom of Louisiana's cities

Among the 477 Louisiana cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Opelousas ranks #376 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Opelousas only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#316 of 426
26th percentile in Louisiana
Median Gross Rent
#376 of 477
0th percentile in Louisiana
Median Home Value
#268 of 419
36th percentile in Louisiana
Poverty Rate
#78 of 475
83rd percentile in Louisiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#315 of 477
34th percentile in Louisiana

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Louisiana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

5thIncome percentile
2ndSafety percentile

5th percentile nationally for median household income · 2nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Opelousas's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Opelousas's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Opelousas's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Opelousas's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$113,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 86% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Opelousas $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Opelousas, LA Opelousas, LA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Opelousas, LA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Opelousas, LA median $36,260/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Opelousas, LA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Opelousas, LA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 10.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 31.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 43.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
15,662
Median Income
$36,260
Median Home Value
$113,000
Median Age
34.3
Poverty Rate
31.5%
Labor force participation
43.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
10.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6388.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1369.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5018.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,000 residents15,500 residents16,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,767 residents 15,098 residents ▼ -4.2%
Opelousas's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 11
2020 12
2021 3
2022 20
2023 3
2024 3

Permit volume decreased 73% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
82.6%
Carpool
8.9%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.0%
Work from Home
5.2%
Other
0.8%

Based on 5,035 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Louisiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$40
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Louisiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Louisiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Opelousas sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$834/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Louisiana

Thibodaux
15,792 people
Youngsville
16,664 people
Estelle
16,761 people
Pineville
14,268 people
Luling
13,873 people
Gretna
17,468 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Opelousas's 15,662 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hillcrest Heights, MD
15,670 people
Springdale, NJ
15,672 people
Bellmore, NY
15,652 people
Palmview, TX
15,650 people
Prospect Heights, IL
15,681 people
Scottsboro, AL
15,641 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Opelousas's $36,260 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Scottsville, KY
$36,259 median income
Brookhaven, MS
$36,269 median income
Bear Creek, AL
$36,250 median income
Flomaton, AL
$36,250 median income
Vandiver, AL
$36,250 median income
Lower Kalskag, AK
$36,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Opelousas, LA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Opelousas, LA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 16.2% 80.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.6% White 16.2% Black or African American 80.2% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 2.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Opelousas compares to nearby Louisiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Opelousas (this city) 15,662 $36,260
Thibodaux 15,792 $53,775
Youngsville 16,664 $113,164
Estelle 16,761 $73,519
Census ACS 5-year FIPS LA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Opelousas, LA?

What is the population of Opelousas, LA? +

Opelousas, LA counts 15,662 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Opelousas, LA? +

Opelousas households earn a median of $36,260 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Opelousas? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Opelousas; the closest available measure is the Louisiana state average, a cost of living index of 88.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Louisiana vary by metro area.

Is Opelousas, LA safe? +

Opelousas has a total crime rate of 6388.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Opelousas, LA? +

Opelousas's median home value sits at $113,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.