United States › Louisiana › Opelousas CITY
Opelousas Louisiana · 15,098 residents (2025 est.) · 9.67 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
Opelousas is home to 15,495 people in Louisiana. 37.4% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 11% of adults. Households here earn about 46% less than in Louisiana as a whole. The typical home is worth $105,100, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 22,860 in 2000
15,098 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,602 / sq mi
−32%since 2009
from 2,370 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
15K 17K 19K 21K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Opelousas Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $32,964
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $14,717 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $9,957 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 43.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.499 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 8.1%
Public administration 3.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Education & health services 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$105,100
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$717
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $292 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 53.3% in 2000
47.2% rent
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.39 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.71 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 29.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 50.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.5 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 29.1%(6,642)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(202)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 16.3%(2,530)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(443)
from 48 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
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 10.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 57.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 24.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 44.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 67.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 73.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 55.5%(2,945)
Women 15+
Never married 49.6%(3,393)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 47.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 51.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 51.6% 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) 35.5%(148)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.1%(88)
Share of the 417 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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Drill deeper
Places similar to Opelousas Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Opelousas, Louisiana? Opelousas, Louisiana has about 15,495 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Opelousas, Louisiana? The typical household in Opelousas, Louisiana earns about $32,964 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Opelousas, Louisiana expensive? In Opelousas, Louisiana, the median home is worth about $105,100, and the typical rent is about $717 a month.
How educated are people in Opelousas, Louisiana? About 10.7% of adults age 25 and over in Opelousas, Louisiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Opelousas, Louisiana? About 37.4% of people in Opelousas, Louisiana live below the federal poverty line.
Has Opelousas, Louisiana grown since 1990? Yes, Opelousas, Louisiana has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,656 residents, a change of about -15 percent over that period.
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