The Town FilesOppelo, Arkansas
City in Conway County · population 737 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $118,900
- Household income
- $65,521
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 37.5
Oppelo is a city of 737 people in Conway County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $118,900, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Arkansas towns, better for a vacation home than 94% of Arkansas towns, better transit than 90% of Arkansas towns.
How Oppelo ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oppelo is worth $118,900, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $65,521, which is more affordable than 92% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $787 a month. 79.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oppelo | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,900 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $787 | $792 |
| Median household income | $65,521 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 79.6% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Oppelo
| People | Oppelo | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.3% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.5% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 0.4% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 84.4% |
Weather in Oppelo
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 29.1°F. About 51.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.4 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 70 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 81 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oppelo since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 27, 2005 about 3.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 38 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 18, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 90 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 5, 1996.
Severe weather in Conway County since 1996
Conway County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3461: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Conway County
Conway County had 6,503 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,612 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Oppelo itself the ACS puts it at 9.3%.
Towns near Oppelo
- Morrilton, AR4.3 mi · 6,992 people · home $160,900
- Perryville, AR6.3 mi · 1,373 people · home $133,600
- Plumerville, AR8.4 mi · 734 people · home $122,000
- Atkins, AR13.9 mi · 2,859 people · home $124,400
- Conway, AR17.4 mi · 64,134 people · home $252,100
- Pottsville, AR18.5 mi · 3,140 people · home $171,600
- Wooster, AR19.5 mi · 1,042 people · home $333,000
- Roland, AR19.9 mi · 820 people · home $340,800
Oppelo questions
Is Oppelo, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oppelo scores better for retirees than 88% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 88%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Oppelo?
The median owner-occupied home in Oppelo is valued at $118,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,521, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $787 a month.
What is the weather like in Oppelo?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 29.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.2 inches of precipitation a year and 2.4 inches of snow.
Does Oppelo get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oppelo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 27, 2005. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)