About Opelousas, Louisiana

Throughout the entire city, incredible beauty and staggering brokenness meet on every corner. Gorgeous old buildings stand next to abandoned businesses displaying “For Lease” signs. The smiling faces of children light up these streets, children living in conditions that are unimaginable to most of us.

Not Just an International Issue

Even though poverty is an international issue, it is far too easily overlooked at home. Often this struggle is closer than we like to admit—sometimes in our own back yards. The city of Opelousas suffers from a drastic level of poverty not seen in most other parts of the country. Some of what our back yards look like is reflected in these statistics:

• POPULATION:

  • St. Landry Parish – 92,326

  • Opelousas – 26,398

• RACE:

  • St. Landry Parish

    • White – 56.4%

    • Black – 42.3%

  • Opelousas

    • White – 26.0%

    • Black – 73.7%

• POVERTY LEVEL 

  • National – 12.40%

  • St. Landry Parish – 25.6%

  • Opelousas – 44.0%

• MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

  • National – $41,994

  • St. Landry Parish – $32,373

  • Opelousas – $14,714

• HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES:

  • National – 80.40%

  • St. Landry Parish – 62%

  • Opelousas – 57.2%