St. Landry Parish · Opelousas · population 15,176
Where Opelousas stands
22% off 5-year peak. home values down 7.9% in the last year. population shrinking 1.0% per year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent vs buy
At a 10.5 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Opelousas on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 10.5 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Opelousas has held up across the cycle: home values at $127,115 with -4.3% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Opelousas has given back 22% from its 5-year peak — that's not a healthy correction, it's a market still digesting an overshoot. The bear case is that the floor hasn't been found yet.
About Opelousas
Opelousas is a city in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, with an estimated population of 15,176. The population has contracted 1.0% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Opelousas is $127,115 as of 2026-04, down 7.9% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged -4.3% annual growth, and the market currently sits about 22% below its 5-year peak. Rents in Opelousas average $1,012 per month. The composite momentum score is 18 of 100 (Declining). The market is well off recent highs — patient long-term buyers may find opportunities, but resale liquidity is reduced.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
Playbook
Make sure you're not catching a falling knife. Verify local fundamentals — jobs, population trend, school enrollment — before assuming the bottom is in. Negotiate hard and walk away from anything that doesn't pencil. Opelousas is currently 22% off its 5-year peak — historically, that's been the discount tier of this market.
Be realistic. Below-list pricing may be required; time is not your friend. If you can wait 2-3 years for the cycle to turn, consider holding.
Cap rates can look great in Declining markets, but verify tenant pool, income stability, and exit liquidity before committing. A 10% cap on a vacant property is 0%.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for St. Landry Parish right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. St. Landry Parish routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Opelousas
Run the numbers for Opelousas
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Opelousas listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Opelousas area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
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