United States › Lake Charles METRO AREA · 2020 ACS
Lake Charles Metro Lake Charles, LA · 3 counties · 254,652 residents · 3,000 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Lake Charles is a metro area of 254,652 people. About 21% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $153,663, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $823 a month at the median. The median household earns $51,670, about 22% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 37.4
US median: 38.8
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 51%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
203K 217K 231K 245K 259K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lake Charles Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $51,670
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,255 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $17,003 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 25.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 16.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 3.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.5%
Public administration 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Education & health services 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
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$153,663
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,501 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$823
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $447 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 72.6% in 2000
32.2% rent
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.3 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 74.7%(168,098)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(2,990)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 65.6%(167,139)
Hispanic / Latino 4.8%(12,315)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 1 more asian origin group with data Ancestry
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data from 15.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 75.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 82.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 7.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 61.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 28.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Women 15+
Never married 28.6%(28,445)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 20.5%(2,845)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.1%(2,652)
Share of the 13,863 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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LAKE CHARLES VS
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LAKE CHARLES VS
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LAKE CHARLES VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Lake Charles, LA? Lake Charles, LA has about 254,652 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lake Charles, LA? The typical household in Lake Charles, LA earns about $51,670 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 $153,663, and the typical rent is about $823 a month.
How educated are people in Lake Charles, LA? About 21.3% 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 16.7% 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 46,536 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
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