United States › Alabama › Opelika CITY
Opelika Alabama · 35,765 residents (2025 est.) · 61.2 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 32,820 people, Opelika is a city in Alabama. Growth has run 40% since 2000, or 9,322 more people. 5% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $241,800, having roughly tripled since 2000. Renters pay $950 a month at the median. The median household earns $65,004, about 21% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.9
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 65%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,498 in 2000
35,765 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
537 / sq mi
+24%since 2009
from 432 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
21K 24K 27K 31K 34K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Opelika Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $65,004
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,397 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,023 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.487 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.1%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
Education & health services 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$241,800
+65%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$950
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $425 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.4% in 2000
30.9% rent
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 54.5%(12,797)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(252)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 51.3%(16,826)
Hispanic / Latino 7.2%(2,376)
from 70 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 22.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 78.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 64.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.7%(4,565)
Women 15+
Never married 27.8%(3,803)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 36.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 32.9%(642)
Gulf War (1990s) 27.2%(530)
Share of the 1,950 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Opelika, Alabama? Opelika, Alabama has about 32,820 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Opelika, Alabama? The typical household in Opelika, Alabama earns about $65,004 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Opelika, Alabama expensive? In Opelika, Alabama, the median home is worth about $241,800, and the typical rent is about $950 a month.
How educated are people in Opelika, Alabama? About 36.4% of adults age 25 and over in Opelika, Alabama hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Opelika, Alabama? About 16.0% of people in Opelika, Alabama live below the federal poverty line.
Has Opelika, Alabama grown since 1990? Yes, Opelika, Alabama has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,698 residents, a change of about 48 percent over that period.
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