Best Places to Live in Opelika, Alabama

Opelika, AL is a small city with a rich cultural history situated on the banks of the Chattahoochee River in East Alabama. Home to Auburn University and Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine, Opelika has become known for its vibrant arts scene and historic downtown area. College town complex - East-central Alabama near Georgia border.

State: Alabama
County: Lee County
Metro Area: Auburn-Opelika Metro Area
City: Opelika

Zip Codes: 36801 36804
Cost of Living: -11.4% lower
Time zone: Central Standard Time (CST)
Elevation: 658 ft above sea level

Opelika, Al Housing Market

Least Expensive Homes	Homes Over 2,000 Sq. Ft.
Most Expensive Homes	Homes less than 10 yrs old
All Single Family Homes

Pros
College-town amenities
Historic interest
Strong economy

Cons
Hot, humid summers
Growth and sprawl
Crime rate

What Bert Has To Say About Auburn-Opelika Metro Area

Auburn, home to Auburn University, the largest in Alabama, is a typical small college town with an inviting campus and attractive historic buildings in a nicely laid out downtown. Standout features include high educational attainment and low unemployment. While the Cost of living Index is very attractive for a college town, home prices are relatively high for the region but still reasonable on a national scale. The economy was once driven by agriculture, primarily cotton, then the university.

Highlights

ECONOMY

The unemployment rate in Opelika is 3.8% (U.S. avg. is 6.0%). Recent job growth is Positive. Opelika jobs have increased by 1.7%. More Economy

COST OF LIVING

Compared to the rest of the country, Opelika's cost of living is 11.4% lower than the U.S. average. More Cost of Living or Compare Opelika's Cost of Living

WEATHER & CLIMATE

May, October and April are the most pleasant months in Opelika, while July and August are the least comfortable months. Today's Weather | Climate Averages

VOTING

In the last Presidential election, Lee county remained overwhelmingly Republican, 59.1% to 39.0%. More Voting Stats

POPULATION

Opelika's population is 30,810 people. Since 2020, it has had a population growth of 13.6%. Learn More...

TRANSPORTATION

Average Commute time is 18.2 minutes. The National Average is 26.4 minutes. Learn More...

REAL ESTATE

The median home cost in Opelika is $249,500. Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 11.3%.

SCHOOLS

Opelika public schools spend $17,229 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $12,383. There are about 14.3 students per teacher in Opelika. More Education

Best Places to Live in Opelika Rankings

#59	America's Most (and Least) Stressful Cities (117 Smallest Metro Areas)
#102	America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Smallest Metro Areas)
#127	Best Green Cities
#192	2005 Best Places to Live

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Housing Market in Opelika

It's a good time to buy in Opelika. Home Appreciation is up 11.3% in the last 12 months.
The median home price in Opelika is $249,500.

Schools: See Local Schools

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Reviews for Opelika 1 Reviews

Life in Opelika - 2/7/2016
Traffic is terrible...To many restaurants and banks..Nothing to do ..we need a theme park or somewhere to go and ride rides and enjoy family ..Cut out city... Read More

Michelle | Opelika, AL | Reply | No Replies

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ZIP CODES IN OPELIKA, ALABAMA

36801 36804

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United States / Alabama / Auburn-Opelika Metro Area / Lee County / Opelika / Zip Codes