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Living in
Lake Charles.
About
Life in Lake Charles
Living in Lake Charles means embracing a distinctive Gulf Coast lifestyle rooted in Creole and Cajun culture, with major annual events like the Louisiana Pirate Festival drawing hundreds of thousands. The job market is reasonably diverse—petrochemical plants, refineries, and manufacturing facilities employ thousands, while the two casino resorts and school system provide additional stability. With a median household income around $59,000 and median home values near $214,000, the cost of living is quite manageable compared to most U.S. cities, though you'll want to factor in that median rent sits at $1,109 monthly.
Lake Charles at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
23.3%
Foreign-Born
5.6%
Broadband Internet
85.4%
of households
Population Growth
-2.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.6% foreign-born, most often from Honduras
Who lives in Lake Charles: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lake Charles, the largest foreign-born group is from Honduras (13.9%), and 4.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.9%
of residents
65 and Older
16.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.7%
of households
Married Couples
39.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.46
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for LA
Rent, home values, and income in Lake Charles
Rent and home values here are close to the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
31.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$774
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
21.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $206,813 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for LA
Unemployment in Lake Charles
Unemployment in Lake Charles is close to the LA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lake Charles Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17 min avg
How Lake Charles residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lake Charles, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH)
Regional airport · few flights92k passengers boarded in 2025
- 128 mi
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Major hub23.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 102% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lake Charles runs 102% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
665.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,424
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lake Charles Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
95.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Calcasieu County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Calcasieu Parish, which includes Lake Charles, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $100,000 |
| 2024 | 24 | Flash Flood | $1.0M |
| 2023 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2022 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2021 | 10 | Flash Flood | $503.6M |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $329,000 |
| 2019 | 10 | Flash Flood | $71.5M |
| 2018 | 11 | Flash Flood | $351,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Calcasieu Parish, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Calcasieu Parish, which includes Lake Charles, is typically good — 227 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
227
per year
Moderate Days
135
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Calcasieu Parish, county-wide
Climate92°F summers, 45°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lake Charles has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and warm winters (avg low 45°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/60°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/61°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
65°/45°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
65.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
88
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
11
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
133
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63°F | 43°F | 5.89" |
| Feb | 67°F | 47°F | 3.26" |
| Mar | 73°F | 53°F | 3.67" |
| Apr | 79°F | 59°F | 4.44" |
| May | 85°F | 67°F | 5.40" |
| Jun | 91°F | 74°F | 6.54" |
| Jul | 92°F | 76°F | 5.69" |
| Aug | 93°F | 75°F | 6.19" |
| Sep | 89°F | 71°F | 5.18" |
| Oct | 82°F | 60°F | 4.80" |
| Nov | 72°F | 51°F | 4.13" |
| Dec | 65°F | 45°F | 4.56" |
Healthcare5 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lake Charles
Lake Charles has 5 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
5
within city limits
Uninsured
8.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Christus Ochsner St Patrick Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Christus Ochsner Lake Area Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Oceans Behavioral Hospital of Lake Charles
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.7 mi away · Sulphur
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lake Charles
Lake Charles's student/teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 29.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
25
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Lake Charles
Public · 4-year · 5,005 students · in-state tuition $9,084 · 51% graduate · median earnings $50,152 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Big Thicket National Preserve, 72 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lake Charles
Lake Charles has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (72 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
72 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lake Charles
Calcasieu Parish Public Library
301 West Claude Street, Lake Charles
Carnegie Memorial Branch
411 Pujo Street, Lake Charles
Epps Express Library
1200 N. Martin Luther King Hwy, Ste, Lake Charles
Southwest La Genealogical Library
411 Pujo Street, Lake Charles
Cities Near Lake Charles
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lake Charles?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lake Charles FAQ
Is Lake Charles, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Lake Charles's median rent is $1,109/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $59,235/year. Median home value is $214,300.
Is Lake Charles, Louisiana safe?⌄
Lake Charles's violent crime rate was 665 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2424 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lake Charles, Louisiana?⌄
Lake Charles has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lake Charles, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Lake Charles is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,109/month and median household income is $59,235/year. The median home value is $214,300. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lake Charles, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Lake Charles is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from