Housing data for Lake Charles, LA
Lake Charles, LA has an estimated 81,143 residents and 40,742 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Calcasieu Parish.
39.1% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,109 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+5.0%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 81,143 (±50)
- Housing units
- 40,742 (±745)
- Households that rent
- 39.1%
- Median gross rent
- $1,109
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +5.0%
What stands out in Lake Charles
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 18.1% (±2.1 points) in Lake Charles, higher than in Calcasieu Parish (9.6%).
Households that rent: 39.1% (±2.5 points) in Lake Charles, higher than in Calcasieu Parish (27.2%).
Households without a vehicle: 10.5% (±1.7 points) in Lake Charles, higher than in Calcasieu Parish (7.2%).
Median real estate taxes: $774 (±$101) in Lake Charles, lower than in Calcasieu Parish ($968).
- Types of homes in Lake Charles
- Renters and owners in Lake Charles
- Commute and cars in Lake Charles
- Property taxes in Lake Charles
Housing in Lake Charles at a glance
- Median rent: $1,109 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,126 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 57.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 39.1% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $59,235 median household income
- Home values: $214,300 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,543 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $774 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 18.1% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 61.0% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 49.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 12.6% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 61.5% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 17.0 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 665 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +5.0% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 29.2% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.7% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Lake Charles against Calcasieu Parish, its state and the nation
| Lake Charles | Calcasieu Parish | Louisiana | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 81,143 (±50) | 207,088 (exact) | 4,611,961 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 40,742 (±745) | 95,523 (±111) | 2,108,902 (±333) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 39.1% (±2.5 points) | 27.2% (±1.7 points) | 32.6% (±0.4 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,109 (±$43) | $1,109 (±$31) | $1,064 (±$8) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $59,235 (±$3,575) | $67,564 (±$2,636) | $60,756 (±$408) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $214,300 (±$12,654) | $217,000 (±$6,701) | $216,500 (±$1,367) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $774 (±$101) | $968 (±$80) | $1,180 (±$13) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 49.4% (±3.1 points) | 41.0% (±2.1 points) | 46.2% (±0.4 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 17.0 minutes (±1.0) | 21.1 minutes (±0.8) | 25.7 minutes (±0.2) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 85.4% (±2.0 points) | 86.3% (±1.5 points) | 86.6% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 36.6 years (±1.3) | 37.4 years (±0.2) | 38.0 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Lake Charles covers 47.5 square miles of land, about 1,709 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Lake Charles has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 77,283 (±38) | 81,143 (±50) | +5.0% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 37,612 (±697) | 40,742 (±745) | +8.3% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $816 (±$29) | $1,109 (±$43) | +35.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $155,700 (±$5,512) | $214,300 (±$12,654) | +37.6% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $42,942 (±$2,671) | $59,235 (±$3,575) | +37.9% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,156 (±$40) | $1,543 (±$96) | +33.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $529 (±$43) | $774 (±$101) | +46.3% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 47.6% (±1.7 points) | 39.1% (±2.5 points) | −8.5 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.2% (±1.9 points) | 12.6% (±2.5 points) | +4.4 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Lake Charles
In 2025, the Lake Charles Police Department reported 665 violent and 2,424 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Calcasieu Parish, the departments that report recorded 615 violent and 2,499 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Lake Charles
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70609 | 100% | 357 | — | — | — |
| 70629 | 100% | 0 | — | — | — |
| 70601 | 96% | 30,872 | $930 | $162,200 | $49,992 |
| 70605 | 30% | 40,482 | $1,309 | $308,700 | $86,015 |
| 70615 | 18% | 12,980 | $1,099 | $140,400 | $40,047 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Lake Charles
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prien | 5.0 mi | $1,292 | $278,000 | 14.7% |
| Westlake | 5.3 mi | $1,049 | $166,100 | 24.6% |
| Moss Bluff | 7.6 mi | $1,324 | $252,900 | 19.0% |
| Sulphur | 8.9 mi | $994 | $182,900 | 25.4% |
| Carlyss | 9.6 mi | $1,358 | $173,200 | 25.8% |
| Iowa | 12 mi | $1,098 | $249,200 | 19.3% |
| Fenton | 21 mi | $631 | $96,300 | 37.4% |
| Vinton | 22 mi | $947 | $106,800 | 50.9% |
Places in Louisiana most like Lake Charles
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bossier City | $1,107 | $202,100 | $55,819 | 46.8% |
| Lafayette | $1,100 | $257,000 | $61,915 | 46.9% |
| Pineville | $910 | $201,500 | $49,774 | 45.6% |
| Sulphur | $994 | $182,900 | $61,760 | 25.4% |
| Shreveport | $987 | $178,900 | $48,699 | 46.7% |
| Thibodaux | $960 | $232,500 | $52,072 | 38.4% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Louisiana.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Lake Charles, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $935 | $941 | $1,231 | $1,467 | $1,713 |
HUD income limits for Lake Charles, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,550 | $32,550 | $52,100 |
| 2 people | $22,350 | $37,200 | $59,550 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $41,850 | $67,000 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $46,500 | $74,400 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $50,250 | $80,400 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $53,950 | $86,350 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $57,700 | $92,300 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $61,400 | $98,250 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $93,000.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Lake Charles
What is the average rent in Lake Charles, LA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Lake Charles is $1,109 (±$43) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Lake Charles?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Lake Charles, LA is $893 (±$59) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Lake Charles rent-burdened?
57.4% of renting households in Lake Charles pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Lake Charles?
Lake Charles has an estimated 12,545 (±868) renting households, 39.1% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Lake Charles?
The median household income in Lake Charles is $59,235 (±$3,575) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Lake Charles, LA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $214,300 (±$12,654) for owner-occupied homes in Lake Charles (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Lake Charles growing?
In Lake Charles, the number of residents went from 77,283 in 2015–2019 to 81,143 in 2020–2024 (+5.0%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Lake Charles?
The ZIP codes that cover Lake Charles are 70609, 70629, 70601, 70605, 70615.
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Charles city, Louisiana
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Charles city, Louisiana
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Charles city, Louisiana
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Charles city, Louisiana
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Charles city, Louisiana
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Charles city, Louisiana
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Lake Charles city, Louisiana
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Lake Charles Police Department (ORI LA0100200)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Lake Charles city, Louisiana (place:41155, in state:22).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .