The Town FilesOpelousas, Louisiana
City in St. Landry Parish · population 15,786 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $105,100
- Household income
- $32,964
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 37.1
Opelousas is a city of 15,786 people in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $105,100, below the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more vibrant than 92% of Louisiana towns, more walkable than 90% of Louisiana towns, better for young professionals than 70% of Louisiana towns.
How Opelousas ranks
Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Opelousas is worth $105,100, below the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $32,964, which is more affordable than 44% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $717 a month. 52.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Opelousas | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $105,100 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $717 | $887 |
| Median household income | $32,964 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 52.8% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Opelousas
| People | Opelousas | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 37.4% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 67.4% | 84.6% |
Weather in Opelousas
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 41.4°F. About 61.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 93 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 18 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Opelousas since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 9, 1983 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 18, 1988.
Severe weather in St. Landry Parish since 1996
St. Landry Parish has been included in 46 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Tropical Storm | DR-4927: Tropical Storm Arthur |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3638: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 10, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine |
| September 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | EM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| August 29, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4611: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in St. Landry Parish
St. Landry Parish had 23,554 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,117 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Opelousas itself the ACS puts it at 11.9%.
Public schools in Opelousas
12 public schools with 4,590 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opelousas Senior High School | 9-12 | 772 | 14.0 |
| Northwest High School | 9-12 | 597 | 14.6 |
| Park Vista Elementary School | PK-4 | 563 | 13.4 |
| Grolee Elementary School | PK-4 | 453 | 16.2 |
| Opelousas Junior High School | 7-8 | 401 | 12.2 |
| JS Clark Leadership Academy (charter) | K-12 | 333 | 15.9 |
| St. Landry Charter School (charter) | K-6 | 311 | 19.4 |
| Magnet Academy for Cultural Arts | 7-12 | 295 | 11.3 |
| Northeast Elementary School | PK-4 | 262 | 10.5 |
| Plaisance Middle School | 5-8 | 209 | 11.6 |
| Creswell Middle School | 5-6 | 207 | 10.4 |
| Opelousas Middle School | 5-6 | 187 | 10.4 |
Towns near Opelousas
- Sunset, LA8.3 mi · 2,909 people · home $206,100
- Church Point, LA11.5 mi · 4,179 people · home $96,700
- Carencro, LA14.9 mi · 9,272 people · home $214,800
- Ville Platte, LA16.2 mi · 6,303 people · home $101,200
- Scott, LA19.7 mi · 8,119 people · home $170,300
- Breaux Bridge, LA19.7 mi · 7,513 people · home $175,900
- Eunice, LA20.2 mi · 9,422 people · home $122,000
- Mamou, LA21.4 mi · 2,936 people · home $86,500
Opelousas questions
Is Opelousas, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Opelousas scores better for retirees than 3% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 6%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Opelousas?
The median owner-occupied home in Opelousas is valued at $105,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $32,964, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $717 a month.
What is the weather like in Opelousas?
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 41.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 61.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Opelousas get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Opelousas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 9, 1983. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.
- 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)