[4] Incorporated in 1887, W.W. Duson, General Manager of Southwest Louisiana Land Company, plotted and developed Crowley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.85 square miles (15.2 km2), all land.

The city of Rayne is located 9 miles east of Crowley via U.S. Highway 90 and I-10.

The city of Jennings is located 17 miles west via U.S. Highway 90 and I-10.

At the 2020 United States census, there were 11,710 people, 4,807 households, and 2,934 families residing in the city.

Crowley is noted for its annual International Rice Festival.

[16] Notre Dame is an Acadia Parish-wide Catholic high school whose football program has won six state championships and numerous District Champion titles, in addition to numerous state championships in other sports, such as men's baseball, women's softball, men's tennis, men's track & field, and women's volleyball.