United States › Louisiana › Lake Charles CITY · 2010 ACS
Lake Charles Louisiana · 71,993 residents · 47.5 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Lake Charles is home to 71,993 people in Louisiana. The typical home is worth $113,300, having risen by half since 2000. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. Owners hold 56% of the housing stock. The average commute runs 17 minutes. 20.9% of people here live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 35.0
US median: 37.2
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth 71,993
Unchangedsince 2000
from 71,757 in 2000
from 35.3 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
69K 73K 78K 82K 86K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lake Charles Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $36,001
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,774 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $17,922 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Professional, scientific, technical 4%
Public administration 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1%
Education & health services 0.5%
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$113,300
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $70,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$675
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $462 in 2000
US average: $853
from 57.6% in 2000
43.6% rent
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.32 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 46.9% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 49.5%(35,540)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(1,007)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 45.6%(32,793)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(2,069)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data from 20.2% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 75.4% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 7.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.7 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.9% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 31.4% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Women 15+
Never married 35.5%(12,160)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 17.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 47.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 44.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 30.6%(1,500)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.7%(1,161)
Share of the 4,897 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Lake Charles Head to head
Compare Lake Charles to nearby cities LAKE CHARLES VS
Moss Bluff
Income $92,036 +156%
Home value $252,900 +123%
Population 12,482 −85%
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LAKE CHARLES VS
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LAKE CHARLES VS
Orange
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LAKE CHARLES VS
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Income $48,558 +35%
Home value $136,700 +21%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Lake Charles, Louisiana? Lake Charles, Louisiana has about 71,993 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lake Charles, Louisiana? The typical household in Lake Charles, Louisiana earns about $36,001 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 $113,300, and the typical rent is about $675 a month.
How educated are people in Lake Charles, Louisiana? About 23.2% 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 20.9% 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 1,413 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.
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