Lake Charles

Population: 81,679
Median household income: $56,864
Median home value: $204,000

Lake Charles is a community in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, home to 81,679 residents. Its median household income of $56,864 runs below the Calcasieu Parish figure of $67,849.

Between 2019 and 2023, Lake Charles's population grew 5.7% from 77,283 to 81,679, while its median home value rose 31.0% from $155,700 to $204,000.

81.4% of workers drive to work alone. 68.1% of homes are single-family detached houses.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 81,679
Median age: 36.2 yrs
Median household income: $56,864
Median home value: $204,000
Median gross rent: $1,090
Housing units: 40,146
Homeownership rate: 61.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 29.4%
Unemployment rate: 5.5%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

77,28381,679

Median household income

$42,942$56,864

Median home value

$155,700$204,000

Median gross rent

$816$1,090

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	77,283	$42,942	$155,700	$816
2020	77,832	$44,785	$155,700	$830
2021	83,444	$49,913	$169,300	$892
2022	82,430	$54,761	$191,200	$1,007
2023	81,679	$56,864	$204,000	$1,090

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 56.5%

5 to 1715.9%

18 to 2411.0%

25 to 3415.2%

35 to 4411.8%

45 to 5410.5%

55 to 6412.2%

65 to 749.7%

75 and over7.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	5,284	6.5%
5 to 17	12,981	15.9%
18 to 24	8,965	11.0%
25 to 34	12,452	15.2%
35 to 44	9,607	11.8%
45 to 54	8,566	10.5%
55 to 64	9,947	12.2%
65 to 74	7,953	9.7%
75 and over	5,924	7.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	37,962	46.5%
Black or African American	34,960	42.8%
American Indian & Alaska Native	142	0.2%
Asian	2,022	2.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	400	0.5%
Two or more races	2,338	2.9%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	3,855	4.7%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma9.8%

High school graduate30.1%

Some college or associate's30.7%

Bachelor's degree18.3%

Graduate or professional degree11.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	5,327	9.8%
High school graduate	16,390	30.1%
Some college or associate's	16,715	30.7%
Bachelor's degree	9,957	18.3%
Graduate or professional degree	6,060	11.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 18 min

Drove alone81.4%

Carpooled9.4%

Public transit0.1%

Walked2.7%

Bicycle0.3%

Worked from home4.8%

Other means1.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	29,556	81.4%
Carpooled	3,426	9.4%
Public transit	37	0.1%
Walked	965	2.7%
Bicycle	98	0.3%
Worked from home	1,729	4.8%
Other means	485	1.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	15,770	45.6%
15 to 29 min	14,072	40.7%
30 to 44 min	2,753	8.0%
45 to 59 min	659	1.9%
60+ min	1,313	3.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.49
Poverty rate: 23.2% (18,454 of 79,452)

	Count	Share
Family households	18,782	59.0%
Nonfamily households	13,063	41.0%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1979

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	31,845	79.3%
Vacant	8,301	20.7%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	19,444	61.1%
Renter-occupied	12,401	38.9%

1-unit, detached68.1%

1-unit, attached2.6%

2 to 4 units8.2%

5 to 19 units10.8%

20 or more units8.1%

Mobile home & other2.1%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	27,349	68.1%
1-unit, attached	1,029	2.6%
2 to 4 units	3,311	8.2%
5 to 19 units	4,348	10.8%
20 or more units	3,262	8.1%
Mobile home & other	847	2.1%

Geography

Place GEOID: 2241155
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 47 sq mi
Water area: 2.87 sq mi
Center point: 30.1990, -93.2108