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Houma vs Opelousas for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Houma, LA and Opelousas, LA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

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Houma wins 3–0 across key metrics
Houma leads on cash flow (7.10% vs 6.58% cap rate)
Metric
Houma, LA
Opelousas, LA
Est. Cap Rate
7.10%
6.58%
Median Home Price
$175,000
$130,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,320
$920
1% Rule
0.75%
0.71%
GRM
11.0x
11.8x
Price / Income
3.8x
2.8x
Property Tax Rate
0.54%
0.54%
Vacancy Rate
6.7%
6.7%
Population Growth
0.3% / yr
0.3% / yr
Annual Appreciation
2.1%
2.1%
Population
50,000
50,000
Median Income
$45,760
$45,760

Houma vs Opelousas: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Houma has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 7.10% compared to Opelousas's 6.58%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $175,000 in Houma vs $130,000 in Opelousas, while rents come in at $1,320/mo and $920/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.

Growth & appreciation: Houma is growing faster at 0.3% annually vs Opelousas's 0.3%. Houma leads on home value appreciation at 2.1% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.54% in Houma vs 0.54% in Opelousas. Vacancy rates of 6.7% and 6.7% are mixed — Opelousas has the tighter rental market.

Entry point: Opelousas offers a lower entry at $130K vs Houma's $175K — a difference of $45K. With a 20% down payment, that's $26K vs $35K. Houma's higher price may be justified by better market fundamentals.

Bottom line: Houma edges out Opelousas on most key metrics. With a 7.10% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Houma or Opelousas.

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Houma, LA
7.10% cap rate · $175,000 median · $1,320/mo
Full analysis →
Opelousas, LA
6.58% cap rate · $130,000 median · $920/mo
Full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houma or Opelousas better for rental investing?
Houma wins 3–0 across our 7 key metrics (cap rate, 1% rule, GRM, taxes, vacancy, growth, appreciation). Houma's 7.10% cap rate and $175K median price edge out Opelousas's 6.58% at $130K.
What is the cap rate difference between Houma and Opelousas?
Houma has a 7.10% cap rate vs Opelousas's 6.58% — a difference of 0.52 percentage points. This is a relatively small difference — other factors like growth, taxes, and local market conditions may matter more. For context, the national average is 3.81%.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Opelousas has lower property taxes at 0.54% vs 0.54%. On a $153K property, that's a difference of approximately $243/year in tax expense — money that goes directly to (or from) your cash flow.
Which city is growing faster?
Houma is growing at 0.3% annually vs Opelousas's 0.3%. Both cities have slow growth — focus on the strongest neighborhoods. Houma's appreciation rate of 2.1% also leads on home value growth.

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