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CITY

Lake Charles

Louisiana · 82,676 residents (2025 est.) · 47.469 sq mi
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The short version

Lake Charles has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $59,235. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $214,300. The poverty rate of 23.3% is well above the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
81,143
+13%since 2000
from 71,757 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,709 / sq mi
+15%since 2009
from 1,484 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.6
+4%since 2000
from 35.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:82,676 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
69K73K78K82K86K1990201020202024Lake Charles
202481K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.7%(5,409)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.1%(4,101)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(5,439)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.2%(5,070)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.6%(6,987)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.9%(12,122)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.6%(10,193)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.2%(8,246)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.1%(9,829)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.3%(8,350)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.5%(3,682)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.1%(1,715)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$59,235
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,774 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,860
+100%since 2000
from $17,922 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
38.7%
+18.0 ptssince 2009
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
23.3%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.527
+4%since 2010
from 0.505 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade6.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services6.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration5.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance4.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing1.4%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing1%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.3%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$214,300
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $70,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,109
+32%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $462 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
60.9%
+3.3 ptssince 2000
from 57.6% in 2000
39.1% rent
Vacancy rate
21.3%
+6.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.4%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
51.6%
+4.7 ptssince 2009
from 46.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.6
+23%since 2009
from 2.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
64
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lake Charles on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic49.5%(35,540)
Black46.6%(33,414)
Hispanic / Latino1.4%(1,007)
Asian1.1%(766)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic45.3%(36,759)
Black42.4%(34,381)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(4,639)
Asian2.7%(2,163)
Other3.9%(3,201)
Diversity Score
76
+10%since 2009
from 69 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Central American1.9%(1,510)
Mexican1.3%(1,074)
Honduran1.3%(1,050)
Cuban0.7%(603)
Salvadoran0.4%(333)
Puerto Rican0.4%(322)
Venezuelan0.3%(246)
Spaniard0.2%(124)
Guatemalan0.1%(120)
Colombian0.1%(115)
Dominican0.1%(52)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Pakistani0.7%(560)
Asian Indian0.5%(444)
Filipino0.3%(231)
Nepalese0.3%(229)
Chinese0.2%(166)
Vietnamese0.2%(123)
Laotian0.1%(111)
Hmong0.1%(93)
Thai0%(25)
Korean0%(8)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(76)
Ancestry
French7.7%(6,224)
English6.9%(5,635)
German5.2%(4,195)
American4.7%(3,828)
Irish4.5%(3,655)
French Canadian2.6%(2,128)
Italian2.5%(2,065)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(731)
Scottish0.6%(525)
West Indian0.4%(289)
Polish0.3%(273)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.3%(223)
Dutch0.3%(222)
Jamaican0.3%(212)
Norwegian0.2%(196)
Welsh0.2%(196)
Lebanese0.2%(174)
Czech0.2%(133)
British0.1%(113)
Nigerian0.1%(106)
Swedish0.1%(105)
Ukrainian0.1%(101)
Canadian0.1%(98)
Swiss0.1%(96)
Russian0.1%(82)
Finnish0.1%(64)
Greek0.1%(56)
Portuguese0.1%(55)
Turkish0.1%(51)
Haitian0.1%(48)
Austrian0.1%(45)
Lithuanian0.1%(44)
Armenian0.1%(41)
Hungarian0%(33)
Barbadian0%(23)
Danish0%(13)
Brazilian0%(12)
Syrian0%(11)
Belgian0%(8)
RANKED:Largest French population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.1%
+9.0 ptssince 2000
from 20.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.5%
+15.1 ptssince 2000
from 75.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
10.9%
+3.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.0 min
+60%since 2000
from 10.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.7%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.0%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
10.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.6%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 9.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.5%
Unchangedsince 2011
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.3%
−25.7 ptssince 2009
from 65.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
+2.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.1% in 2009
Female
50.6%
−2.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.9% in 2009
Foreign born
5.6%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.7%
−38.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2012
from 15.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.3%
−73.9 ptssince 2013
from 82.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.4%
+15.9 ptssince 2017
from 69.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
91.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 91.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.6%
+1.8 ptssince 2016
from 2.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married40%(12,759)
Married46.1%(14,710)
Widowed3.1%(990)
Divorced10.9%(3,467)
Women 15+
Never married35.5%(12,160)
Married41%(14,063)
Widowed10.8%(3,703)
Divorced12.7%(4,342)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Compare Lake Charles to nearby cities

LAKE CHARLES VS
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Income$92,036+55%
Home value$252,900+18%
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SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE CHARLES VS
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Income$61,760+4%
Home value$182,900−15%
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LAKE CHARLES VS
Orange
Income$62,891+6%
Home value$164,900−23%
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LAKE CHARLES VS
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Income$48,558−18%
Home value$136,700−36%
Population9,235−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lake Charles, Louisiana?

Lake Charles, Louisiana has about 81,143 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lake Charles, Louisiana?

The typical household in Lake Charles, Louisiana earns about $59,235 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lake Charles, Louisiana expensive?

In Lake Charles, Louisiana, the median home is worth about $214,300, and the typical rent is about $1,109 a month.

How educated are people in Lake Charles, Louisiana?

About 29.1% of adults age 25 and over in Lake Charles, Louisiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lake Charles, Louisiana?

About 23.3% of people in Lake Charles, Louisiana live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lake Charles, Louisiana grown since 1990?

Yes, Lake Charles, Louisiana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,563 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Lake Charles, Louisiana: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy