Signals
Opelousas
Columbus
Growth
30 · Bottom 20%
vs37 · Bottom 29%
Climate
77 · Top 11%
vs69 · Top 40%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 31%
vs44 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
93 · Bottom 44%
vs92 · Bottom 43%
Access
88 · Top 28%
vs88 · Top 29%
Economic stability
14 · Bottom 4%
vs21 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Opelousas | Columbus | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,670 | 67,863 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $44,462 | $51,117 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,412 | $29,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 88/sq mi | 57/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $142,500 | $150,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $748 | $916 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.1% | 63.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.8% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 140 | 143 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.1% | 7.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.8" | 57.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 23.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 38.2 | 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
Opelousas
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hurricane, inland flooding.
Columbus
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, earthquake.
Full profiles: Opelousas, LA Micro Area · Columbus, MS Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology