Signals
Fort Payne
Opelousas
Growth
30 · Bottom 19%
vs30 · Bottom 20%
Climate
78 · Top 10%
vs77 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 37%
vs42 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs93 · Bottom 44%
Access
67 · Bottom 33%
vs88 · Top 28%
Economic stability
17 · Bottom 7%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Payne | Opelousas | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 72,269 | 81,670 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,204 | $44,462 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,490 | $25,412 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 93/sq mi | 88/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $152,700 | $142,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $693 | $748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 70.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% | 26.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 140 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.5% | -4.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 44°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 56.2" | 62.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 29.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fort Payne
Elevated or high exposure: cold wave, earthquake.
Opelousas
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Fort Payne
56
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Opelousas
57
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Full profiles: Fort Payne, AL Micro Area · Opelousas, LA Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology