United States › Opelousas MICROPOLITAN AREA
Opelousas Micro Opelousas, LA · 1 counties · 80,765 residents (2025 est.) · 924 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 81,670 people. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. 26.8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The typical home is worth $142,500, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 2%. Median household income is $44,462, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 45%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 87,700 in 2000
80,765 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 95 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 34.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
79K 82K 86K 89K 92K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Opelousas Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,462
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,855 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,042 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 29.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.498 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.1%
Public administration 2.7%
Education & health services 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
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$142,500
+45%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$748
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $320 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 70.7% in 2000
29.9% rent
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.76 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 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 56.1%(49,160)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(794)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 52.1%(42,539)
Hispanic / Latino 3.1%(2,510)
from 65 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 41 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 62.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 79.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 91.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 42.9%(13,093)
Women 15+
Never married 36.5%(12,121)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 58.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 44.1% 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) 20.1%(557)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.4%(648)
Share of the 2,769 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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In this metro
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1 component county Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Opelousas, LA? Opelousas, LA has about 81,670 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Opelousas, LA? The typical household in Opelousas, LA earns about $44,462 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Opelousas, LA expensive? In Opelousas, LA, the median home is worth about $142,500, and the typical rent is about $748 a month.
How educated are people in Opelousas, LA? About 14.9% of adults age 25 and over in Opelousas, LA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Opelousas, LA? About 26.8% of people in Opelousas, LA live below the federal poverty line.
Has Opelousas, LA grown since 1990? Yes, Opelousas, LA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,339 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.
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