The Town FilesLake Charles, Louisiana
City in Calcasieu Parish · population 84,872 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $214,300
- Household income
- $59,235
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 53
- Median age
- 36.6
Lake Charles is a city of 84,872 people in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $214,300, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of Louisiana towns, more walkable than 92% of Louisiana towns, better for young professionals than 87% of Louisiana towns.
How Lake Charles ranks
Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lake Charles is worth $214,300, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $59,235, which is more affordable than 28% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $1,109 a month. 60.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Charles | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $214,300 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $1,109 | $887 |
| Median household income | $59,235 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 60.9% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Lake Charles
| People | Lake Charles | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.1% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.3% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.6% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.4% | 84.6% |
Weather in Lake Charles
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 43.4°F. About 59.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 88 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Charles since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 17, 1973 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 78 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 9, 2019.
Severe weather in Calcasieu Parish since 1996
Calcasieu Parish has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3638: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 10, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine |
| September 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | EM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| August 29, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4611: Hurricane Ida |
| August 27, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3568: Tropical Storm Ida |
Jobs and pay in Calcasieu Parish
Calcasieu Parish had 88,649 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,711 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Lake Charles itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Lake Charles
34 public schools with 19,436 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfred M. Barbe High School | 9-12 | 2,012 | 17.5 |
| Sam Houston High School | 9-12 | 1,191 | 15.3 |
| S. J. Welsh Middle School | 6-8 | 1,031 | 11.1 |
| Moss Bluff Elementary School | PK-5 | 986 | 14.5 |
| LaGrange High School | 9-12 | 941 | 9.9 |
| Lake Charles Charter Academy (charter) | PK-8 | 923 | 15.6 |
| Moss Bluff Middle School | 6-8 | 864 | 13.9 |
| Southwest Louisiana Charter Academy (charter) | PK-8 | 848 | 16.3 |
| A. A. Nelson Elementary School | PK-5 | 772 | 15.4 |
| Prien Lake Elementary School | PK-5 | 703 | 15.3 |
| Gillis Elementary School | PK-5 | 689 | 12.5 |
| St. John Elementary School | PK-5 | 688 | 15.0 |
Towns near Lake Charles
- Prien, LA5.0 mi · 7,745 people · home $278,000
- Westlake, LA5.3 mi · 4,781 people · home $166,100
- Moss Bluff, LA7.6 mi · 12,522 people · home $252,900
- Sulphur, LA8.9 mi · 21,809 people · home $182,900
- Carlyss, LA9.6 mi · 5,101 people · home $173,200
- Iowa, LA12.2 mi · 3,436 people · home $249,200
- Vinton, LA22.2 mi · 3,400 people · home $106,800
- DeQuincy, LA22.2 mi · 3,144 people · home $124,500
Lake Charles questions
Is Lake Charles, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Charles scores better for retirees than 38% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 7%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.6).
How much does a house cost in Lake Charles?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Charles is valued at $214,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,235, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,109 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Charles?
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 43.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lake Charles get tornadoes?
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Charles since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 17, 1973. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)