Opelika is a city located in Lee County Alabama. Opelika has a 2024 population of 34,403. It is also the county seat of Lee County. Opelika is currently growing at a rate of 2.48% annually and its population has increased by 10.7% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 31,079 in 2020.
The average household income in Opelika is $77,984 with a poverty rate of 15%. The median age in Opelika is 40.2 years: 38.5 years for males, and 41.1 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Opelika was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 17,703 | 55.42% |
| Black or African American | 11,972 | 37.48% |
| Two or more races | 1,293 | 4.05% |
| Asian | 589 | 1.84% |
| Other race | 185 | 0.58% |
| Native American | 166 | 0.52% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 36 | 0.11% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 13,121 | 2.39 | 68.8 | 31.2 |
| Married | 5,738 | 3.04 | 84.5 | 15.5 |
| Non Family | 4,778 | 1.1 | 55.7 | 44.3 |
| Female | 2,002 | 3.35 | 52 | 48 |
| Male | 603 | 3.21 | 78.6 | 21.4 |
3.09
Average Family Size
2.39
Average Household Size
68.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,281 | 5.6% |
| Associates Degree | 2,034 | 8.89% |
| Bachelors Degree | 4,683 | 20.47% |
| Graduate Degree | 2,971 | 12.99% |
| High School Graduate | 5,619 | 24.56% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,422 | 6.22% |
| Some College | 4,866 | 21.27% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 12,200 | 11,617 | 5,744 |
| Black | 8,641 | 7,184 | 1,400 |
| Hispanic | 1,198 | 681 | 121 |
| 2+ Races | 643 | 403 | 102 |
| Asian | 561 | 486 | 293 |
| Native American | 138 | 138 | 66 |
| Islander | 36 | 36 | 0 |
| Other Race | 32 | 23 | 21 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among other race people with a rate of 65.63%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $57,069 | $65,072 | $54,828 |
| Graduate Degree | $72,472 | $84,035 | $59,087 |
| High School Graduate | $33,548 | $37,181 | $27,557 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $33,016 | $41,201 | $0 |
| Overall | $44,613 | $51,400 | $37,118 |
| Some College | $45,835 | $56,424 | $35,971 |
$44,613
Average Earnings
$51,400
Average Male
$37,118
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
91.32% of Opelika residents speak only English, while 8.68% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 6.49% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 11,701 | 3,355 | 28.67% |
| White | 15,855 | 1,207 | 7.61% |
| Hispanic | 3,107 | 429 | 13.81% |
| Multiple | 1,291 | 140 | 10.84% |
| Asian | 589 | 12 | 2.04% |
| Other | 180 | 4 | 2.22% |
15%
Overall Poverty Rate
12.14%
Male Poverty Rate
17.78%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Opelika is Black, with 28.67% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Opelika is Asian, with 2.04% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.42%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.76%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 23.93%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 20.64% |
| High School | 17.1% |
| Some College | 15.35% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 3.54% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 41.1% |
| Male Unemployed | 36.94% |
| Female Employed | 7.93% |
| Male Employed | 3.62% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $79,927 | $95,960 |
| Households | $58,763 | $77,984 |
| Married Families | $102,391 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $39,500 | $45,515 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
47.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
50.6%
Male Marriage Rate
45.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
2,032
Number of Veterans
1,832
Male Veterans
200
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 689 |
| Second Gulf War | 629 |
| First Gulf War | 565 |
| Korea | 157 |
| World War II | 10 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 640 |
| 35 to 54 | 485 |
| 75+ | 380 |
| 55 to 64 | 272 |
| 18 to 34 | 255 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,224 | 8.65% |
| Black | 657 | 7.19% |
| Hispanic | 86 | 5.87% |
| Asian | 76 | 13.55% |
| 2+ Races | 75 | 10.5% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
2.7%
Veteran Poverty Rate
23.39%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
61%
Labor Force Participation
57.7%
Employment Rate
5.1%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
68.63%
Born in Opelika
95.09%
Native Born
4.91%
Foreign Born
3.38%
Non Citizen
1.53%
Naturalized
95.09% of Opelika residents were born in the United States, with 68.63% having been born in Alabama. 3.38% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 38,558 | 831 | 2.2% |
| 2028 | 37,727 | 831 | 2.25% |
| 2027 | 36,896 | 831 | 2.3% |
| 2026 | 36,065 | 831 | 2.36% |
| 2025 | 35,234 | 831 | 2.42% |
| 2024 | 34,403 | 831 | 2.48% |
| 2023 | 33,572 | 801 | 2.44% |
| 2022 | 32,771 | 1,177 | 3.73% |
| 2021 | 31,594 | 515 | 1.66% |
| 2020 | 31,079 | 157 | 0.51% |
| 2019 | 30,922 | 256 | 0.83% |
| 2018 | 30,666 | 349 | 1.15% |
| 2017 | 30,317 | 461 | 1.54% |
| 2016 | 29,856 | 391 | 1.33% |
| 2015 | 29,465 | 357 | 1.23% |
| 2014 | 29,108 | 424 | 1.48% |
| 2013 | 28,684 | 578 | 2.06% |
| 2012 | 28,106 | 659 | 2.4% |
| 2011 | 27,447 | 961 | 3.63% |
| 2010 | 26,486 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 23,498 | 1,376 | 6.22% |
| 1990 | 22,122 | 226 | 1.03% |
| 1980 | 21,896 | 2,869 | 15.08% |
| 1970 | 19,027 | 3,349 | 21.36% |
| 1960 | 15,678 | 3,383 | 27.52% |
| 1950 | 12,295 | 3,808 | 44.87% |
| 1940 | 8,487 | 2,331 | 37.87% |
| 1930 | 6,156 | 1,196 | 24.11% |
| 1920 | 4,960 | 226 | 4.77% |
| 1910 | 4,734 | 489 | 11.52% |
| 1900 | 4,245 | 542 | 14.64% |
| 1890 | 3,703 | 458 | 14.11% |
| 1880 | 3,245 | -35,313 | -91.58% |