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
median household income $65,004, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Opelika
What changed most since 1990
White share59.0% → 51.3%(−7.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Homes owned by their occupants61.1% → 69.1%(+7.9 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Opelika's population equals 18% of Lee County's. Its number of households without a car equals 34% of the county's. Its number of residents 65 and older equals 25% of the county's.
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.2%(530)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.8%(621)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(102)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(11)
US avg: 1%
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Opelika, decade by decade
Opelika population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
22,122
$60,887
$137,524
19.5%
62.4
2000
23,498
$60,838
$146,825
22.3%
65.1
2010
26,477
$52,386
$168,313
24.2%
71.0
2020
30,995
$61,193
$185,927
31.7%
76.9
2024
32,820
$65,004
$241,800
36.4%
73.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
