City profile · Louisiana · Census ACS 2023

Lake Charles, LA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lake Charles - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

81,679
Residents
$56,864
Median income
$204,000
Median home
$1,217
Median rent (state)

Lake Charles - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Lake Charles lands in the 30th percentile for household income and the 15th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

30th
percentile, household income
44th
percentile, home value
37th
percentile, median rent
15th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lake Charles, LA

Louisiana's Lake Charles is a small city, with 81,679 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Lake Charles brings in $56,864 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.2%. Lake Charles's housing stock carries a median value of $204,000, and the median resident age is 36.2 years. Educational attainment runs 29.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 972 residential building permits were authorized in Lake Charles (Rapid Growth), up 34% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Lake Charles's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3082.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Lake Charles's yearly average temperature at 69.7°F with 59.8 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Louisiana run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Louisiana scores 88.2 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,217 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Louisiana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

81,679 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Louisiana

Median Household Income

$56,864 /yr

Poverty 16.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Louisiana average

How does Lake Charles compare to other US cities?

Here's how Lake Charles stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 30% higher than other cities
Home value 44% pricier than other cities
Median rent 37% pricier than other cities
Safety 15% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Louisiana alone, Lake Charles ranks #28 of 60 Louisiana cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Lake Charles against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Louisiana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Louisiana-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Lake Charles toward the top of Louisiana's cities

Among the 477 Louisiana cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Lake Charles ranks #65 - the 86th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lake Charles only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#171 of 426
60th percentile in Louisiana
Median Gross Rent
#64 of 477
84th percentile in Louisiana
Median Home Value
#105 of 419
75th percentile in Louisiana
Poverty Rate
#217 of 475
54th percentile in Louisiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#65 of 477
86th percentile in Louisiana

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Louisiana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

30thIncome percentile
15thSafety percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income · 15th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lake Charles's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lake Charles's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 35 Avg. percentile National median
Lake Charles's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lake Charles's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$204,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 56% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lake Charles $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lake Charles, LA Lake Charles, LA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake Charles, LA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lake Charles, LA median $56,864/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lake Charles, LA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lake Charles, LA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
81,679
Median Income
$56,864
Median Home Value
$204,000
Median Age
36.2
Poverty Rate
16.2%
Labor force participation
56.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3082.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
613.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2469.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
69.7°F
Annual Precipitation
59.8"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
36
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
78,000 residents80,000 residents82,000 residents84,000 residents86,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 84,894 residents 82,676 residents ▼ -2.6%
Lake Charles's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
972
housing units authorized
Single-Family
440
detached homes
Multifamily
532
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
11.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 723
2020 528
2021 365
2022 524
2023 665
2024 972

Permit volume increased 34% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.4%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
4.8%
Other
1.6%

Based on 36,296 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Louisiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$40
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Louisiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Louisiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lake Charles sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,217/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Louisiana

Kenner
65,113 people
Bossier City
62,832 people
Monroe
47,241 people
Alexandria
44,566 people
Lafayette
121,537 people
Prairieville
35,010 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Charles's 81,679 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Gastonia, NC
81,632 people
New Rochelle, NY
81,591 people
Alhambra, CA
81,483 people
Warner Robins, GA
81,438 people
Miami Beach, FL
81,319 people
The Villages, FL
82,108 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Charles's $56,864 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Frontenac, KS
$56,867 median income
Hays, KS
$56,861 median income
Bryan, TX
$56,861 median income
Newton, NC
$56,869 median income
Silver Lake, KS
$56,857 median income
Loraine, IL
$56,855 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake Charles, LA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lake Charles, LA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 47.4% 42.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.7% White 47.4% Black or African American 42.8% Asian 2.6% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 5.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lake Charles compares to nearby Louisiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lake Charles (this city) 81,679 $56,864
Kenner 65,113 $64,099
Bossier City 62,832 $55,130
Monroe 47,241 $36,521
Census ACS 5-year FIPS LA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake Charles, LA?

What is the population of Lake Charles, LA? +

Lake Charles, LA counts 81,679 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lake Charles, LA? +

In Lake Charles, the typical household earns $56,864 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake Charles? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lake Charles; the closest available measure is the Louisiana state average, a cost of living index of 88.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Louisiana vary by metro area.

Is Lake Charles, LA safe? +

Lake Charles has a total crime rate of 3082.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lake Charles, LA? +

The median home value in Lake Charles is $204,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lake Charles? +

Climate normals put Lake Charles's yearly average temperature at 69.7°F, 59.8 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.