Opelousas is a city in and the parish seat of St. Landry Parish,
Louisiana, United States. It lies at the junction of Interstate 49 and U.S.
Route 190. The population was 22,860 at the 2000 census. Although the 2006
population estimate was 23,222, a 2004 annexation should put the city's
population above 25,000. Opelousas is the principal city for the
Opelousas-Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population
of 92,178 in 2008. Opelousas is also the 3rd largest city in the
Lafayette-Acadiana Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of
537,947.
At only 7.5 square miles,