United States › Lake Charles METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS
Lake Charles Metro Lake Charles, LA · 3 counties · 208,116 residents · 3,000 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Lake Charles is a metro area of 208,116 people. The typical home is worth $51,845. About 13% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 72% of homes are owner-occupied. 19.7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Renters pay $325 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 31.6
US median: 33.0
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01
Population & growth vs 34.5 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Population, 1990 – 2024
203K 217K 231K 245K 259K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lake Charles Age distribution, 1990
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Section 02
Income & economy $23,538
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $34,255 in 2000
US average: $30,130
vs $17,003 in 2000
US average: $14,340
vs 16.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
$51,845
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $67,501 in 2000
US average: $93,722
$325
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $447 in 2000
US average: $450
vs 72.6% in 2000
28.3% rent
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 74.7%(168,098)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(2,990)
1990
White, non-Hispanic 77.8%(161,909)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(2,379)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Hispanic origin
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data vs 15.5% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
vs 75.6% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
vs 4.8% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06
Commute & transportation vs 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07
Work & employment No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community No data for the years selected.
Marital status (2024)
Women 15+
Never married 28.6%(28,445)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 17.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 63.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.3% 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) 25.7%(3,520)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.6%(2,954)
Share of the 13,704 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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In this metro
Largest cities Lake CharlesCENTRAL 82,676 Sulphur 20,492 Moss Bluff 12,482 Jennings 9,235 Prien 7,119 Westlake 4,763 Carlyss 4,412 Iowa 3,301 Welsh 3,286 Vinton 3,115 DeQuincy 2,878 Lake Arthur 2,569 Elton 974 Hackberry 899 Hayes 690 Gillis 667 Roanoke 482 Starks 314 Lacassine 218 Fenton 217 Cameron 169 What's inside
3 component counties Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Lake Charles, LA? Lake Charles, LA has about 208,116 residents according to the 1990 Census.
What is the median household income in Lake Charles, LA? The typical household in Lake Charles, LA earns about $23,538 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lake Charles, LA expensive? In Lake Charles, LA, the median home is worth about $51,845, and the typical rent is about $325 a month.
How educated are people in Lake Charles, LA? About 13.4% of adults age 25 and over in Lake Charles, LA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lake Charles, LA? About 19.7% of people in Lake Charles, LA live below the federal poverty line.
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