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Living in
Sulphur.
About
Life in Sulphur
Life in Sulphur centers on affordability, stability, and a tight-knit community feel that genuinely rewards people who want to put down roots. Weekends here split between outdoorsy access and genuine community anchors. The Creole Nature Trail starts right in town and offers hiking and wildlife watching without the drive, while Frasch Park has everything from a golf course to the water park—locals actually use these, not just tourists.
Sulphur at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.0%
Foreign-Born
3.9%
Broadband Internet
84.4%
of households
Population Growth
-6.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.9% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Sulphur: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Sulphur, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (26.9%), and 2.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.5%
of residents
65 and Older
17.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.5%
of households
Married Couples
40.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.50
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 7% below LA average
Rent, home values, and income in Sulphur
In Sulphur, rent runs 7% below the LA average, and home values are 16% below the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$807
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1980
median year built
Vacant Homes
19.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $202,860 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for LA
Unemployment in Sulphur
Unemployment in Calcasieu Parish, which includes Sulphur, is close to the LA average.
Unemployment rate
Sulphur: Calcasieu Parish rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Calcasieu Parish (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Sulphur Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.6 min avg
How Sulphur residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Sulphur, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 12 mi
Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH)
Regional airport · few flights92k passengers boarded in 2025
- 118 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 6% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Sulphur runs 6% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
310.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,712.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Sulphur 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 Sulphur, 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 Sulphur, 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
Sulphur 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
63.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
88
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
11
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
104
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" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Sulphur
Sulphur has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Christus Ochsner Lake Area Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Lake Charles
Christus Ochsner St Patrick Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.8 mi away · Lake Charles
Stonebridge Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 8.2 mi away · Lake Charles
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.
Education13.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Sulphur
Sulphur's student/teacher ratio is 13.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 16.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Sulphur (within 15 miles)
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, 63 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Sulphur
Sulphur has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Big Thicket National Preserve (63 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Preserve
63 mi awayPublic Libraries in Sulphur
Sulphur Regional Branch
1160 Cypress Street, Sulphur
Cities Near Sulphur
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Sulphur?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Sulphur FAQ
Is Sulphur, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Sulphur's median rent is $994/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,760/year. Median home value is $182,900.
Is Sulphur, Louisiana safe?⌄
Sulphur's violent crime rate was 311 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2712 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Sulphur, Louisiana?⌄
Calcasieu Parish, which includes Sulphur, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Sulphur, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Sulphur is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $994/month and median household income is $61,760/year. The median home value is $182,900. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Sulphur, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Sulphur is 18 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