What is the rental vacancy rate in Lake Charles, LA?

Name: Vacancy rate in Lake Charles, LA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The rental vacancy rate in Lake Charles, LA is 12.6% (±2.5 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 1.4% (±0.8 points).

8,665 (±656) homes, 21.3% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In Lake Charles, the rental vacancy rate went from 8.2% in 2015–2019 to 12.6% in 2020–2024 (+4.4 percentage points), a measurable increase.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 12.6% (±2.5 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 1.4% (±0.8 points)
Vacant homes: 8,665 (±656)

Vacancy in Lake Charles against Calcasieu Parish, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Lake Charles	Calcasieu Parish	Louisiana	United States
Rental vacancy rate	12.6% (±2.5 points)	14.0% (±2.4 points)	7.8% (±0.4 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.4% (±0.8 points)	1.6% (±0.5 points)	1.3% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	8,665 (±656)	17,566 (±1,106)	304,122 (±5,145)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In Lake Charles, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Calcasieu Parish (14.0%).

It is also higher than in Louisiana (7.8%).

It is higher than the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near Lake Charles

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Lake Charles
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
Lake Charles	—	12.6% (±2.5 points)	—
Prien	5.0 mi	0.0% (±10.8 points)	Lower
Westlake	5.3 mi	10.1% (±10.5 points)	Not measurably different
Moss Bluff	7.6 mi	17.6% (±16.9 points)	Not measurably different
Sulphur	8.9 mi	20.4% (±8.0 points)	Not measurably different
Carlyss	9.6 mi	6.9% (±11.6 points)	Not measurably different
Iowa	12 mi	21.8% (±19.5 points)	Not measurably different
Fenton	21 mi	0.0% (±51.5 points)	Not measurably different
Vinton	22 mi	0.0% (±8.7 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Prien, LA (0.0%), Vinton, LA (0.0%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Rental vacancy rate across Calcasieu Parish, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Iowa	21.8% (±19.5 points)
2	Sulphur	20.4% (±8.0 points)
3	Moss Bluff	17.6% (±16.9 points)
4	Lake Charles	12.6% (±2.5 points)
5	Westlake	10.1% (±10.5 points)
6	DeQuincy	7.4% (±11.2 points)
7	Carlyss	6.9% (±11.6 points)
8 (tie)	Prien	0.0% (±10.8 points)
8 (tie)	Vinton	0.0% (±8.7 points)

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

Is it hard to find a rental in Lake Charles?

The rental vacancy rate in Lake Charles, LA is 12.6% (±2.5 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in Lake Charles tighter than it was?

In Lake Charles, the rental vacancy rate went from 8.2% in 2015–2019 to 12.6% in 2020–2024 (+4.4 percentage points), a measurable increase.

How many homes are vacant in Lake Charles?

An estimated 8,665 (±656) housing units, 21.3% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

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 DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

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.