Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety4#884/924
Economy3#893/925
Housing32#632/925
Health1#916/925
Healthcare52#446/923
Environment25#689/917
Education3#898/925
Infrastructure1#919/925
Community3#895/925
Leisure & amenities41#544/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Opelousas, LA micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Effective property tax rate · low0.25%
99/100Louisiana 0.55%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Pharmacies · high3.2 /10k
98/100Louisiana 2.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Grocery stores · high2.7 /10k
94/100Louisiana 2.0 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Mammography screening · high51.0%
74/100Louisiana 48.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Comfortable days · high29.0%
74/100Louisiana 29.3%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
High ozone days · low0 days
71/100Louisiana 0 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Broadband subscriptions · low74.3%
1/100Louisiana 86.6%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Frequent mental distress · high22.5%
1/100Louisiana 21.3%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Adult smoking · high22.4%
1/100Louisiana 20.0%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Poverty rate · high26.8%
2/100Louisiana 18.6%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001
Median household income · low$44,462
2/100Louisiana $61,038United States $81,6042020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19013
Poor or fair health · high30.5%
2/100Louisiana 26.0%United States 19.9%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 58% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+58 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
62.6% (2015-2019) → 74.3% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
43.8 /100k (2021) → 20.9 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−52%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Property crime rateImproving
2,914 /100k (2020) → 1,576 /100k (2025)
−46%5 yearsUS 1,929 /100k → 1,535 /100k
Preventable hospital staysImproving
5,248 /100k (2019) → 3,186 /100k (2023)
−39%4 yearsUS 3,767 /100k → 2,769 /100k
Flu vaccinationsWorsening
47.0% (2019) → 40.0% (2023)
−7 pts4 yearsUS 48.0% → 44.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Opelousas, LA micropolitan area improved on 16 of 30 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 7 moved within the margin of error and 6 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved16

High school++4.7 points76.7% → 81.4%
Uninsured−3.2 points11.7% → 8.5%
Restaurants+17%5.8 /10k → 6.8 /10k
Traffic deaths−18%26.2 /100k → 21.5 /100k
Firearm deaths−26%36.4 /100k → 27.0 /100k

Declined1

Suicides+7.7%19.4 /100k → 20.9 /100k

All 30 measures

Change of every measure of Opelousas, LA micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.3 /10k2020	2.4 /10k2025	+1.9%	Little change	33%
Average commute time	27.8 min2015-2019	29.8 min2020-2024	+2.0 min	Within the margin of error	12%
Average weekly wage	$7582020	$9322025	+23%	Improved	47%
Bachelor's degree or higher	14.8%2015-2019	14.9%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	8%
Broadband subscriptions	62.6%2015-2019	74.3%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	76%
Child poverty rate	37.8%2015-2019	33.4%2020-2024	−4.4 points	Improved	72%
Distance to an airport	116 mi2020	116 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	22%
Drug overdose deaths	31.6 /100k2020	20.9 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−34%	Improved	61%
Effective property tax rate	0.16%2015-2019	0.25%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Little change	1%
Firearm deaths	36.4 /100k2020	27.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−26%	Improved	89%
Grocery stores	2.7 /10k2020	2.7 /10k2025	+1.9%	Little change	58%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.9 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	+16%	Improved	67%
High school diploma or higher	76.7%2015-2019	81.4%2020-2024	+4.7 points	Improved	94%
Home price to income ratio	3.0×2015-2019	3.2×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	78%
Homicide rate	29.2 /100k2020	12.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−58%	Improved	83%
Income adjusted for local prices	$48,6262019	$62,1922024	+28%	Improved	22%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5102015-2019	0.4942020-2024	−0.016	Within the margin of error	85%
Median household income	$36,4032015-2019	$44,4622020-2024	+22%	Improved	23%
New business applications	12.1 /1k2020	12.9 /1k2025	+6.5%	Improved	7%
Pharmacies	3.2 /10k2020	3.2 /10k2025	+1.9%	Little change	78%
Poverty rate	26.2%2015-2019	26.8%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	16%
Property crime rate	2,914 /100k2020	1,576 /100k2025	−46%	Improved	79%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	+1.4%	Little change	73%
Rent as share of income	30.6%2015-2019	30.4%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	63%
Rent-burdened households	50.9%2015-2019	50.7%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Restaurants and bars	5.8 /10k2020	6.8 /10k2025	+17%	Improved	89%
Suicide rate	19.4 /100k2020	20.9 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+7.7%	Declined	42%
Traffic deaths	26.2 /100k2015-2019	21.5 /100k2020-2024	−18%	Improved	86%
Unemployment rate	9.0%2020	5.0%2025	−4 points	Improved	79%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.7%2015-2019	8.5%2020-2024	−3.2 points	Improved	94%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 675 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Opelousas, LA micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Opelousas, LA micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Opelousas, LA micropolitan area itself moved +2.2 points in standing on average over the same 29 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

81,670 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 50–59 women (−1.4 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

81,670 residents

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

White52%42,539
Black40%32,454
Hispanic or Latino3.1%2,510

Education

53,184 residents (±104)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma19%9,895
High school or GED40%21,151
Some college18%9,797

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

32,183 households (±482)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k32%10,332
$25k–50k22%7,164
$50k–75k16%5,243
$75k–100k9.9%3,174
$100k–150k12%3,862
$150k–200k4.6%1,472
$200k or more2.9%936

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−5.2 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

32,183 households (±482)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Own70%22,551
Rent30%9,632

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

8,568 households (±617)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75050%4,309
$750–1,00028%2,380
$1,000–1,50019%1,649

Home values

22,551 homes (±636)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k52%11,708
$150k–250k25%5,731
$250k–400k16%3,532

Age of homes

37,229 homes (±122)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later12%4,336
2000–200913%4,755
1980–199926%9,811

Size of homes

37,229 homes (±122)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Studio1.9%704
1 bedroom5.0%1,867
2 bedrooms26%9,527
3 bedrooms

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

30,010 workers (±1,043)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone78%23,446
Carpool11%3,258
Public transit0.4%†113
Walk1.7%†524
Bike0.2%†48
Work from home7.3%2,188
Other1.4%†433

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−8.0 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

27,822 workers (±939)

Opelousas, LA micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min30%8,272
15–29 min30%8,399
30–44 min19%5,328

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Opelousas, LA micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Opelousas, LA has 1,559 employer establishments, 191 for every 10,000 residents (0.77× the US rate of 248), with 21,089 paid employees at an average annual pay of $44,554. The Census Bureau also counts 7,026 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,559; 7,026 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 191; US 248
Paid employees: 21,089
Average annual pay: $44,554; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Opelousas, LA by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	197	24.2	1.16×About typical	2,218	$45,908	492
Specialty trade contractors	96	11.8	0.76×Fewer than typical	588	$53,352	536
Restaurants and other eating places	83	10.2	0.56×Fewer than typical	1,449	$17,669	44
Offices of physicians	69	8.5	1.31×More than typical	766	$61,385	56
Religious organizations	51	6.3	1.13×About typical	382	$21,152	—
Offices of other health practitioners	50	6.1	1.01×About typical	316	$40,541	102
Building equipment contractors	48	5.9	0.98×About typical	276	$53,141	92
Limited-service restaurants	48	5.9	0.74×Fewer than typical	983	$17,254	13
Legal services	46	5.6	1.05×About typical	217	$59,493	51
Gasoline stations	43	5.3	1.63×More than typical	420	$23,600	7
Lessors of real estate	43	5.3	0.43×Fewer than typical	96	$38,792	397
General merchandise stores	40	4.9	2.78×More than typical	899	$28,581	50

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 81,423 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $3.8M on contracts performed in Opelousas, LA micropolitan area: $46.79 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $3.8M; −4.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $46.79; US $1,994
Sole-source: 98%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$3.7M98%
National Park Service$70.6K1.9%

Top recipients

BRICE CIVIL CONSTRUCTORS INC$3.6M95%
4 A ERA L.L.C$70.5K1.9%
THE ROAD TO SUCCESS LLC$43.8K1.2%
ARCHWAY SOLUTIONS LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY$32.8K0.9%
LOGISTICAL SERVICE AND REPAIR, INC$26.8K0.7%

Spending by fiscal year

401.2KFY2017
396.1KFY2018
268.5KFY2019
1.6MFY2020
1.7MFY2021
10.3MFY2022
8.1MFY2023
1M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$3.6M95%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$147.1K3.9%
Building equipment contractors · 2382$26.8K0.7%
Water, sewage and other systems · 2213$23K0.6%

Largest awards

W42HEM53022203$4M
BRICE CIVIL CONSTRUCTORS INC· St. Landry Parish, LA· Construction & real property· Nov 21, 2025 – Feb 10, 2026· W912P826FA006
DREDGING ATCHAFALAYA RIVER$3.4M
BRICE CIVIL CONSTRUCTORS INC· St. Landry Parish, LA· Construction & real property· Apr 17, 2025 – Apr 29, 2026· W912P825F0054
TRASH REMOVAL$332K
4 A ERA L.L.C· St. Landry Parish, LA· Facilities & utilities· Mar 24, 2022 – Mar 6, 2026· W912P822C0023
BASE PERIOD 10/25/23-10/24/24$95.6K

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $594.2M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Opelousas, LA micropolitan area: $7,357 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $594.2M; +3.4% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,357; US $12,955
Loan face value: $20.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.8%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$273.9M46%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$67.2M11%

Counties in Opelousas, LA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

St. Landry ParishCentral county380,765

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

OpelousasPrincipal city15,495

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Louisiana

Areas based in Louisiana, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M36660

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved16

Declined1

Metro and micro areas like Opelousas, LA micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Counties in Opelousas, LA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Louisiana

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved16

Declined1

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Top programs

What was bought

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates