Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Melville’s average trip to work is 37 minutes, where Louisiana’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 2 of the 128 Louisiana towns we compare have a lower typical home value than Melville. Melville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Melville beats most towns.
1,041 counted in 2010 and 759 in 2020; an estimated 735 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Census counts: 361 in 1890, a peak of 1,987 in 1970, 759 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1927 and 4 maps from 1955 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Melville, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Melville.
On this, Melville is below both Louisiana’s towns (68%) and U.S. towns (73%). The typical Melville home is worth about $84,000, about the same as a year ago, 61% below the Louisiana typical home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Melville for work: only 11% work in town. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Melville. Jobs based in Melville fell to 475 in 2023, 103 fewer than in 2013.
| Melville | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 25% | 20% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 9.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Melville has warm winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Melville is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
85% of Melville adults had a checkup this year. Melville beats the Louisiana average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 19. 11% of Melville adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Melville | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 27% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 16% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 55% | 44% | 35% |
| What stands out | Melville | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.8% | 16.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.9% | 78.8% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 7.2% | 4.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1.1 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves. Melville’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Melville; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Melville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Louisiana.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Town in Louisiana, United States
Melville is a town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Melville had a population of 759. It is part of the Opelousas−Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area. It was founded in 1889 and is known as the Atchafalaya River Catfish Capital of Louisiana. It is directly across the river from the ghost town Red Cross, Louisiana.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Melville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.