© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Louisiana
Lake Charles
Population 81,143
© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Louisiana
Lafayette
Population 121,715
Lake Charles, LA vs Lafayette, LA
Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.
| Metric | Lake Charles, LA | Lafayette, LA |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,143 | 121,715 |
| Median Household Income | $59,235 | $61,915 |
| Median Rent | $1,109/mo | $1,100/mo |
| Median Home Value | $214,300 | $257,000 |
| Cost of Living (US = 100) | 86 | 87 |
| Renters Paying 30%+ of Income | 51.6% | 46.6% |
| Poverty Rate | 23.3% | 18.3% |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Violent Crime Rate /100k | 665 | 1,131 |
| Property Crime Rate /100k | 2,424 | 3,469 |
| Median AQI | 47 | 45 |
| Good AQI Days /yr | 227 | 238 |
| Summer Highs | 92°F | 91°F |
| Winter Lows | 45°F | 43°F |
| Snowfall | 0 in/yr | 0 in/yr |
| Avg Commute | 17 min | 20 min |
| Hospitals | 5 | 7 |
| Avg Hospital Rating | 3.0 / 5 | 3.0 / 5 |
| Students per Teacher | 13.2 | 16.1 |
| College Degree Rate | 29.1% | 41.1% |
| Foreign-Born % | 5.6% | 7% |
| Population Growth (2020–2025) | -2.7% | +1.6% |
Lake Charles, LA
Lafayette, LA
Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.