Opelousas, Louisiana is a small city located in the southern part of the state, with a population of around 16,000. The health of its citizens is something that the local government takes very seriously. This can be seen in their efforts to provide access to quality health care through various local hospitals and medical facilities. Opelousas has a number of hospitals and clinics available to meet both acute and long-term health care needs. One example is St. Landry Parish Hospital, which provides comprehensive emergency services as well as primary care services such as family medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics. Other facilities in the area include specialized clinics for diabetes, cardiology, orthopedics, and rehabilitation services. There are also numerous senior centers located throughout the city providing a range of social services such as nutrition education and health screenings for older residents. Overall, Opelousas is working hard to provide its citizens with quality health care options that meet their needs.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 156 physicians per 100,000 population in Opelousas. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Opelousas area is 101.5 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
101.5 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Opelousas area is 10 (100=best). The US average is 55.
10 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Opelousas area is 96 (100=best). The US average is 87.
96 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Opelousas commutes 18.3 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Opelousas area is 52 (100=best). The US average is 58.
52 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.