CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2010 ACS

Lake Charles Metro

Lake Charles, LA · 3 counties · 231,201 residents · 3,000.24 sq mi
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The short version

Lake Charles has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $44,109. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 28%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $106,281.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 36.3
US median: 37.2
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
231,201
+3%since 2000
from 225,003 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
77 / sq mi
+3%since 2000
from 75 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
36.3
+5%since 2000
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
203K217K231K245K259K1990201020202024Lake Charles
2024244K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 57.1%(16,514)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 97%(16,190)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 147%(16,267)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 197.3%(16,833)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247%(16,081)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3413.2%(30,527)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4412%(27,812)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.7%(33,895)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6411.8%(27,290)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 747.1%(16,508)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.4%(10,084)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.4%(3,200)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$44,109
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,255 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$23,198
+36%since 2000
from $17,003 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
27.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 25.8% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
16.1%
Unchangedsince 2000
from 16.1% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.461
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Information12%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade10.3%
US avg: 7.2%
Retail trade9.6%
US avg: 10.9%
Finance & insurance5.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.5%
US avg: 7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 4.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing3.2%
US avg: 0.5%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 3.1%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 2.4%
Construction1.1%
US avg: 1.4%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$106,281
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,501 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$666
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $447 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
38.9%
−33.8 ptssince 2000
from 72.6% in 2000
29.0% rent
Vacancy rate
12.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Owner cost-burdened
17.8%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.1%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 38.5% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
2.4
+5%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lake Charles on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic74.7%(168,098)
Black22.1%(49,728)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(2,990)
Asian0.6%(1,268)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic71.4%(165,003)
Black22.9%(53,059)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(5,637)
Asian0.9%(2,120)
Other2%(4,703)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.3%(2,968)
Puerto Rican0.3%(574)
Honduran0.2%(390)
Cuban0.1%(208)
Guatemalan0.1%(193)
Dominican0%(83)
Spaniard0%(76)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ancestry
French19.5%(44,520)
German9.2%(21,014)
Irish8.5%(19,455)
American8.3%(19,029)
English7.8%(17,713)
French Canadian6.5%(14,757)
Italian3.2%(7,300)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(3,268)
Scottish1%(2,307)
Dutch0.9%(1,953)
Polish0.6%(1,229)
Norwegian0.4%(874)
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.3%(688)
Arab0.3%(674)
Welsh0.2%(539)
Czech0.3%(506)
West Indian0.3%(493)
Greek0.2%(447)
British0.2%(440)
Russian0.2%(412)
Lebanese0.2%(361)
Portuguese0.2%(341)
Canadian0.1%(330)
Jamaican0.1%(260)
Syrian0.1%(229)
Danish0.1%(188)
Hungarian0.1%(127)
Finnish0.1%(115)
Swiss0.1%(114)
Belgian0.1%(108)
Slovak0%(91)
Romanian0%(66)
Austrian0%(53)
Turkish0%(52)
Ukrainian0%(42)
Serbian0%(21)
Nigerian0%(16)
Egyptian0%(13)
Croatian0%(10)
Kenyan0%(9)
Israeli0.1%(8)
RANKED:Largest French population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest English population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.9%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
80.8%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 75.6% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
5.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2000
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.1 min
+55%since 2000
from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
82.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
11.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
1.8%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
1.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
6.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
14.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
28.0%
−31.1 ptssince 2009
from 59.1% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Female
51.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Foreign born
1.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
11.0%
−36.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married34%(31,960)
Married52.4%(49,317)
Widowed3.4%(3,237)
Divorced10.2%(9,553)
Women 15+
Never married28.6%(28,445)
Married48.6%(48,422)
Widowed9.9%(9,864)
Divorced12.9%(12,864)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro

Largest cities

Lake CharlesCENTRAL82,676Sulphur20,492Moss Bluff12,482Jennings9,235Prien7,119Westlake4,763Carlyss4,412Iowa3,301Welsh3,286Vinton3,115DeQuincy2,878Lake Arthur2,569Elton974Hackberry899Hayes690Gillis667Roanoke482Starks314Lacassine218Fenton217Cameron169
What's inside

3 component counties

Calcasieu ParishCENTRAL208,466Jefferson Davis Parish31,471Cameron Parish4,718
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Lake Charles

Champaign
Pop 239,979
Binghamton
Pop 243,189
Prescott Valley
Pop 252,552
Lynchburg
Pop 269,169
Places similar to Lake Charles
Head to head

Compare Lake Charles side by side

LAKE CHARLES VS
Champaign
Income$65,789+49%
Home value$204,317+92%
Population239,979−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE CHARLES VS
Binghamton
Income$64,592+46%
Home value$156,052+47%
Population243,189−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE CHARLES VS
Prescott Valley
Income$69,613+58%
Home value$425,200+300%
Population252,552+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAKE CHARLES VS
Lynchburg
Income$67,702+53%
Home value$243,239+129%
Population269,169+10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lake Charles, LA?

Lake Charles, LA has about 231,201 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Lake Charles, LA earns about $44,109 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 $106,281, and the typical rent is about $666 a month.

How educated are people in Lake Charles, LA?

About 17.9% 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 16.1% of people in Lake Charles, LA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lake Charles, LA grown since 1990?

Yes, Lake Charles, LA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 23,085 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →