States › Louisiana › Opelousas

Is Opelousas, LA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 23 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$67262% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$35,552about $2,963/month · 59% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$105,10068% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $26,880 a year. That is $13 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Louisiana cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Louisiana. It is number 4 of 102 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Opelousas
$672
Thibodaux
$1,117
Estelle
$1,517
Broussard
$1,063
Pineville
$829
Luling
$1,710
Gretna
$1,233

How much do households earn in Opelousas?

Under $25k
32.5%
$25k–50k
27.0%
$50k–100k
17.9%
$100k–150k
6.2%
$150k+
2.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 8.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Opelousas

SizeOpelousasU.S. average
Studio$584$1,338
1 bedroom$424$1,324
2 bedrooms$790$1,509
3 bedrooms$769$1,698
4 bedrooms$956$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Opelousas overall?

Everyday prices in Louisiana overall are 12% below the U.S. average (index 88.2, U.S. = 100).

Housing
63
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
71
Other services
96
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Opelousas, so the Louisiana figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Opelousas

🏛️ Property tax$199a year · 0.19% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$180a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Opelousas

Commute to work24.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree10.7%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home52.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line37.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment11.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Opelousas?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $57 a month less.

Renting
$672
Owning
$729

Owning assumes a typical $105,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $10,510 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Opelousas, LA?

Renting in Opelousas costs a median of about $672 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Louisiana median is $1,165.

How much do I need to make to live in Opelousas?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $26,880 a year, or $13 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Opelousas cheap or expensive?

Opelousas is rated OK: rent takes 22.7% of the typical household income of $35,552. It ranks 4th cheapest of 102 Louisiana cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Opelousas?

The median homeowner in Opelousas pays $199 a year in property taxes, about 0.19% of the median home value.

Is Opelousas more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Louisiana are 12% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Opelousas?

The median home value in Opelousas is $105,100, about 3.0 times the typical yearly household income.

15,495 people live in Opelousas. Numbers are typical (middle) values.