Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 15,495 residents · St. Landry Parish, Louisiana

Opelousas , Louisiana

In Opelousas, a typical home is worth $105,100 and typical rent is $717 a month. Compared with all of St. Landry Parish, the typical home value is 26% lower, typical household income is 26% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 17 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $105,100

    26% below the parish

    51% below Louisiana

    • Opelousas
    • St. Landry
    • Louisiana

  • Typical rent

    $717a month

    4% below the parish

    33% below Louisiana

    • Opelousas
    • St. Landry
    • Louisiana

  • Typical household income

    $32,964a year

    26% below the parish

    46% below Louisiana

    • Opelousas
    • St. Landry
    • Louisiana

  • Households that own their home

    53%

    17 points below the parish

    15 points below Louisiana

    • Opelousas
    • St. Landry
    • Louisiana

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$130,510
0.8% less than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Opelousas is in St. Landry Parish. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of St. Landry Parish. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Opelousas apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 53% of households in Opelousas own their home, against 70% in St. Landry Parish.

  2. The typical home in Opelousas is worth $105,100, 26% less than in St. Landry Parish as a whole ($142,500).

  3. The typical household income in Opelousas is $32,964, 26% less than in St. Landry Parish as a whole ($44,462).

  4. Opelousas has the 6th lowest typical rent of the 92 cities in Louisiana with more than 5,000 people ($717).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Opelousas

What homes there are in Opelousas, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

As in St. Landry Parish, most homes in Opelousas are detached houses (68%).

Year built

Homes in Opelousas are older: the typical year built is 1975; in St. Landry Parish, 1980.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

With an FHA limit of $541,287, at least 98% of owner-occupied homes in Opelousas sit below it: they are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

About 72% of rented homes in Opelousas cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for St. Landry Parish ($892).

With a mortgage

$1,228 a month

St. Landry Parish: $1,228 a month

Without a mortgage

$313 a month

St. Landry Parish: $329 a month

Owners with a mortgage

37%

St. Landry Parish: 39%

Owning costs about the same in Opelousas as in St. Landry Parish: with a mortgage, $1,228 a month; without one, $313.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Opelousas stayed about the same since 2015–2019: the Census sees no clear change.

Much as in St. Landry Parish, the typical rent in Opelousas rose 13% since 2015–2019.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureOpelousasSt. Landry ParishLouisianaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.8%7.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.8%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate4.3%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.392.502.492.53
Drive alone 84%78%79%69%
Carpool 7%11%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%2%3%
Work from home 5%7%8%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Opelousas look like those in St. Landry Parish: 2.39 people on average.

In Opelousas, 84% of workers drive alone to work; in St. Landry Parish, 78%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Opelousas?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Opelousas, worth $105,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 29% of the typical household income in Opelousas, which is $32,964 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $34,543 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of St. Landry Parish.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Opelousas. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $3,679 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$806

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$103,196
Total interest
$148,475
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,775 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $769 a month

  • Tight

    $769 to $989 a month

    Your payment · 29%

  • Hard

    more than $989 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Opelousas ($32,964 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$806
Principal & interest$699
Property tax$17
Home insurance$44
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$46

You need at least $3,679 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Opelousas and St. Landry Parish

Opelousas is in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Opelousas's own numbers

Typical home value
$105,100
Typical monthly rent
$717
Typical yearly household income
$32,964
Households that own their home
53%
Effective property tax rate
0.19%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of St. Landry Parish

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$892
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+27%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
19%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of St. Landry Parish.

Everything about St. Landry Parish

Buying

Buying a home in Opelousas

A typical home in Opelousas is worth $105,100: 26% below the parish and 51% below Louisiana. With the typical household income in Opelousas ($32,964 a year), a typical home costs 3.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Opelousas 3.2 years
  • St. Landry 3.2 years
  • Louisiana 3.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in St. Landry Parish

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in St. Landry Parish rose 37% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of St. Landry Parish.

Period Parish Louisiana U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.1% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +27% +22% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +37% +38% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Opelousas next to St. Landry Parish, Louisiana and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Opelousas $105,100
  • St. Landry $142,500
  • Louisiana $216,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Opelousas $717
  • St. Landry $748
  • Louisiana $1,064
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Opelousas $32,964
  • St. Landry $44,462
  • Louisiana $60,756
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Opelousas next to St. Landry Parish and Louisiana
Measure Opelousas St. Landry Parish Louisiana U.S.
Typical home value $105,100 $142,500 $216,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $717 $748 $1,064 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $32,964 $44,462 $60,756 $80,734
Households that own their home 53% 70% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $199 $411 $1,180 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.19% 0.29% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 51% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below St. Landry Parish. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Opelousas

For a typical $105,100 home in Opelousas, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Opelousas's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $806a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $3,679
    Cash to close
    $6,832
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $46

  • Conventional, 5% down $787a month

    Down payment
    $5,255
    Cash to close
    $8,408
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $50

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $630a month

    Down payment
    $21,020
    Cash to close
    $24,173
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $727a month

    Down payment
    $15,765
    Cash to close
    $18,918
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Opelousas and for St. Landry Parish.

Property tax

Effective rate in Opelousas

0.19%of the home’s value each year

$199 a year for the typical owner in Opelousas.

  • Opelousas 0.19%
  • St. Landry 0.29%
  • Louisiana 0.55%

What Louisiana publishes Homestead exemption: $7,500 of assessed value (Louisiana State Legislature (Louisiana Constitution))

Exemptions and deadlines in Louisiana

Flood risk in St. Landry Parish

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of St. Landry Parish.

Homes in the high-risk zone
19%
6,777
Of those, with NFIP insurance
24%
Parish Louisiana U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 19% 15% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 24% 73% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Opelousas

Typical rent in Opelousas is $717 a month: 4% below the parish. In Opelousas, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of St. Landry Parish, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($892 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $17.15 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of St. Landry Parish

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $632 $12.15 $25,280
1 bedroom $682 $13.12 $27,280
2 bedrooms $892 $17.15 $35,680
3 bedrooms $1,087 $20.90 $43,480
4 bedrooms $1,172 $22.54 $46,880

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Opelousas

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Opelousas is in ZIP code 70570.

For 2 bedrooms it is $890: $2 less than the fair market rent for St. Landry Parish ($892).

  • 70570 $890$1,090

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Opelousas when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Opelousas

HUD lists 20 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Opelousas. These are the largest.

  • Solete Plaza 1313 N Market St # 215, Opelousas 70570 236 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of City of Opelousas · Average payment: $277 a month · Average wait: 10 months (337) 942-5693
  • Jim Bowie Plaza 825 Myrtle St, Opelousas 70570 226 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of City of Opelousas · Average payment: $305 a month · Average wait: 8 months (337) 942-5693
  • Solete Plaza 708 Evergreen Ln, Opelousas 70570 220 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of City of Opelousas · Average payment: $292 a month · Average wait: 13 months (337) 942-5693
  • Holy Trinity Villas 422 Perry Ln, Opelousas 70570 104 low-income homes · For older adults (337) 948-7236
  • Dupre Place Subdivision 1220 Dean Dr, Opelousas 70570 50 low-income homes · 3 bd: 42 · 4 bd: 8 · In service since 2003 · For older adults, people with disabilities, families

See all 36 buildings in St. Landry Parish Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Opelousas

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in St. Landry Parish. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Opelousas

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Opelousas or St. Landry Parish. The ones below are statewide in Louisiana: they work in Opelousas the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Louisiana

  • HomeStart Assist

    Statewide in Louisiana

    Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage for first-time buyers with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months. Offered by Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • HomeStart Advantage

    Statewide in Louisiana

    Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months; you do not need to be a first-time buyer, but you cannot own another home at closing. Offered by Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Opelousas

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Opelousas, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Step Up Acadiana

    601 Loire Ave Ste H, Lafayette · 16 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (337) 484-1501

  • Lafayette Consolidated Government Neighborhood Counseling Services

    111 Shirley Picard Dr, Lafayette · 21 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (337) 291-5450

  • Saint Martin, Iberia, Lafayette Community Action Agency

    501 Saint John St, Lafayette · 21 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in French.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    337-234-3272-203

All counseling agencies in Louisiana

Help in Spanish near Opelousas

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Opelousas

HUD’s record names them for Opelousas or St. Landry Parish. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of City of Opelousas Public housing (337) 942-5693
  • Housing Authority of the Parish of St. Landry Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (337) 826-3686

2 other authorities have an office in St. Landry Parish: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in St. Landry Parish

These cities are also in St. Landry Parish. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about St. Landry Parish Housing in Louisiana

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Opelousas, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If St. Landry Parish is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Opelousas.

All guides
A mother holding her baby watches her daughter blow bubbles outdoors.

Questions

Housing questions about Opelousas

Short answers with the numbers for Opelousas and all of St. Landry Parish. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Opelousas?

The typical home value in Opelousas is $105,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in St. Landry Parish it is $142,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Opelousas?

Typical rent in Opelousas is $717 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in St. Landry Parish is $892.

What is the FHA loan limit in Opelousas?

Opelousas uses the FHA limit for all of St. Landry Parish (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Opelousas?

The typical homeowner in Opelousas pays $199 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.19% of the home’s value; in St. Landry Parish, the rate is 0.29%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Opelousas?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in St. Landry Parish; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).