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CITY · 2020 ACS

Opelika

Alabama · 30,995 residents · 61.2 sq mi
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The short version

Opelika is home to 30,995 people in Alabama. Growth has run 32% since 2000, or 7,497 more people. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $153,400, having more than doubled since 2000. Getting to work takes 19 minutes on average. Renters pay $754 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 37.6
US median: 38.8
Average education
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

30,995
+32%since 2000
from 23,498 in 2000
1990 – 2025
37.6
+10%since 2000
from 34.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
61.2 sq mi
Population, 19902024
21K24K27K31K34K19902000201020202024Opelika
202433K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.5%(2,022)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.4%(1,994)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.6%(2,051)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.6%(1,743)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(1,863)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415%(4,644)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.6%(3,893)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5411.2%(3,471)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.7%(3,947)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.8%(3,332)
US avg: 10%
75 to 844.9%(1,533)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.6%(502)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$50,488
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,397 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$26,961
+50%since 2000
from $18,023 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
32.4%
+12.9 ptssince 2009
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
15.2%
−2.6 ptssince 2000
from 17.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade14.8%
US avg: 10%
Information12.9%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services5.1%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade3.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance1.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical1.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.2%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$153,400
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$754
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $425 in 2000
US average: $1,124
62.2%
−2.2 ptssince 2000
from 64.4% in 2000
37.8% rent
2.45 people
+5%since 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.0
+2%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic54.5%(12,797)
Black42.7%(10,034)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(252)
Asian0.9%(218)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic47.9%(14,836)
Black38.5%(11,947)
Hispanic / Latino7.8%(2,407)
Asian2.2%(692)
Other1.7%(540)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.7%(527)
Cuban1%(302)
Puerto Rican0.5%(150)
Colombian0.1%(34)
Peruvian0.1%(26)
Honduran0%(12)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.2%(382)
Korean0.7%(227)
Chinese0.3%(93)
Laotian0.3%(88)
Taiwanese0.2%(59)
Bangladeshi0.2%(52)
Vietnamese0.1%(45)
Malaysian0.1%(28)
Japanese0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American11.7%(3,588)
English8.3%(2,527)
Irish4.9%(1,508)
German4.4%(1,339)
Scottish2.3%(710)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(407)
French1.2%(381)
Italian1.2%(377)
Slovak0.7%(212)
Greek0.4%(131)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.4%(130)
British0.3%(101)
Dutch0.3%(101)
Danish0.3%(88)
Swedish0.3%(79)
West Indian0.2%(63)
Jamaican0.2%(61)
Swiss0.2%(57)
Nigerian0.1%(44)
Welsh0.1%(42)
Polish0.1%(39)
Austrian0.1%(23)
Czech0.1%(21)
Lithuanian0.1%(20)
Guyanese0%(13)
Russian0%(13)
Finnish0%(9)
Haitian0%(2)
Section 05

Education

31.7%
+9.4 ptssince 2000
from 22.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
88.4%
+10.3 ptssince 2000
from 78.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
13.2%
+4.0 ptssince 2000
from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

19.3 min
+71%since 2000
from 11.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
84.3%
+5.8 ptssince 2009
from 78.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
8.9%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

3.8%
−3.8 ptssince 2011
from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
62.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 64.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.2%
US average: 73.3%
39.1%
+10.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

47.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 47.4% in 2009
52.1%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 52.6% in 2009
3.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
8.1%
−7.1 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
87.5%
US average: 91.9%
85.5%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married35.7%(4,565)
Married52.6%(6,722)
Widowed2.5%(317)
Divorced9.2%(1,176)
Women 15+
Never married27.8%(3,803)
Married46.6%(6,379)
Widowed9.1%(1,245)
Divorced16.5%(2,260)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

8.1%
−7.1 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
56.5%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.8%
US average: 13.7%
20.0%
US average: 17.6%
19.5%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
70.0%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
36.5%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)17.8%(310)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)17.9%(311)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era30%(522)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War11.3%(196)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0.3%(5)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 1,740 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Opelika, Alabama?

Opelika, Alabama has about 30,995 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Opelika, Alabama?

The typical household in Opelika, Alabama earns about $50,488 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 $153,400, and the typical rent is about $754 a month.

How educated are people in Opelika, Alabama?

About 31.7% 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 15.2% 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 8,873 residents, a change of about 40 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →