Lake Charles city, Louisiana
CityPopulation: 81,679 (2023 estimate)
Census Bureau data for Lake Charles city from the American Community Survey. "Cities" in Census data include incorporated places, towns, villages, and census-designated places (CDPs) — all places where the Census collects community-level estimates.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Lake Charles city
- What is the median household income in Lake Charles city?
- The median household income in Lake Charles city is $56,864 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Lake Charles city?
- The poverty rate in Lake Charles city is 16.2% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Lake Charles city?
- $204,000 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Lake Charles city?
- The median gross rent in Lake Charles city is $1,090 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Lake Charles city residents have a college degree?
- 29.4% of adults in Lake Charles city hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
81,679
Median Income
$56,864
Median Home Value
$204,000
Poverty Rate
16.2%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
5.5%
Median Age
36.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$13,922 (+32.4%)
Home Value:
+$48,300 (+31%)
Poverty Rate:
-1.2 pp (-6.9%)
Bachelor's+:
+1.9 pp (+6.9%)
Unemployment:
-0.7 pp (-11.3%)
Demographics
Total Population
81,679
Median Age
36.0
Female
51.0%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
White (non-Hisp.) 46.5%
Black 42.8%
Asian 2.6%
Two or More 5.8%
Other 1.3%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
1.1%
Filipino
0.1%
Vietnamese
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
1.1%
Puerto Rican
0.6%
Cuban
0.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$56,864
±$4,165
-$3,159 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$90,122
Median Family Income
$78,275
Poverty Rate
16.2%
+2.0 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
26.0%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
16.3%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
21.9%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
6.8%
$10–15k
5.8%
$15–25k
11.1%
$25–35k
9.4%
$35–50k
12.2%
$50–75k
16.1%
$75–100k
10.2%
$100–150k
14.9%
$150–200k
5.6%
$200k+
7.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
40,146
Owner-Occupied
61.1%
Renter-Occupied
38.9%
Vacancy Rate
20.7%
Median Home Value
$204,000
-$4,700 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,090
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
21.1%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
48.2%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
4.4%
$50–100k
13.6%
$100–200k
14.7%
$200–300k
23.4%
$300–500k
17.7%
$500k–$1M
6.7%
$1M+
3.2%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
8.2%
$500–1k
32.7%
$1–1.5k
42.7%
$1.5–2k
10.9%
$2–2.5k
3.7%
$2.5–3.5k
0.3%
$3.5k+
1.5%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
9.1%
1 vehicle
36.6%
2 vehicles
39.3%
3+
15.1%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
68.1%
Single-fam. att.
2.6%
2–4 units
5.2%
5–19 units
5.5%
20+ units
8.1%
Mobile home
2.1%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
4.4%
1940–1969
5.5%
1970–1999
15.2%
2000–2009
11.4%
2010+
15.7%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
90.2%
Bachelor's or Higher
29.4%
+2.8 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
11.1%
Some College / Associate
21.5%
Less Than High School
3.0%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
59.8%
Unemployment Rate
5.5%
-0.8 pp vs. state
Work from Home
4.8%
Self-Employed
6.2%
Government Workers
14.9%
Private For-Profit
78.9%
Industry
Edu/Health
28.3%
Arts/Entmt.
12.4%
Retail
11.4%
Prof. Services
9.5%
Manufacturing
7.9%
Construction
6.9%
Finance
6.6%
Public Admin
4.5%
Transportation
4.3%
Agriculture
1.6%
Information
1.0%
Wholesale
0.9%
Occupation
Management
39.9%
Food Prep
22.4%
Sales
19.9%
Production
9.9%
Construction
7.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
17.9 min
Drove Alone
81.4%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.1%
Work from Home
4.8%
Walked
2.7%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
31,845
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
39.3%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
13.0%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.5%
5–9
5.1%
10–14
7.1%
15–19
6.4%
20–24
8.2%
25–34
15.2%
35–44
11.8%
45–54
10.5%
55–64
5.7%
65–74
6.5%
75–84
9.7%
85+
5.0%
Under 18: 22.4%
Working age (18–64): 77.6%
65 and over: 17.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
4.7%
Naturalized Citizen
33.9%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
2.0%
Foreign-Born Origin
Latin America
44.9%
Asia
39.1%
Europe
6.3%
Africa
5.1%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
7.8%
With a Disability
15.4%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
92.2%
Uninsured
7.8%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
83.6%
Has a Computer
92.1%
Same House 1 Year Ago
83.8%
Moved from Abroad
0.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023