The Town FilesSulphur, Louisiana
City in Calcasieu Parish · population 21,809 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,900
- Household income
- $61,760
- Jan low / Jul high
- 43° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 45
- Median age
- 38.0
Sulphur is a city of 21,809 people in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $182,900, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more vibrant than 93% of Louisiana towns, more walkable than 86% of Louisiana towns, hipper than 76% of Louisiana towns.
How Sulphur 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 Sulphur is worth $182,900, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $61,760, which is more affordable than 52% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $994 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sulphur | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,900 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $994 | $887 |
| Median household income | $61,760 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 74.6% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Sulphur
| People | Sulphur | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.0% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.4% | 84.6% |
Weather in Sulphur
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
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sulphur since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 12, 1971 about 9.4 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 55 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 Sulphur itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Sulphur
12 public schools with 6,652 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur High School | 9-12 | 1,992 | 14.2 |
| W. W. Lewis Middle School | 6-8 | 769 | 13.0 |
| Maplewood Elementary | PK-5 | 654 | 13.9 |
| Frasch Elementary School | PK-5 | 556 | 12.9 |
| E. K. Key Elementary School | PK-5 | 552 | 13.1 |
| Cypress Cove Elementary School | PK-5 | 465 | 12.9 |
| W. T. Henning Elementary School | PK-5 | 413 | 13.8 |
| LeBlanc Middle School | 6-8 | 367 | 11.1 |
| Maplewood Middle School | 6-8 | 314 | 10.1 |
| Vincent Settlement Elementary School | PK-5 | 306 | 13.3 |
| Richard W. Vincent Elementary School | PK-5 | 244 | 10.2 |
| Jake Drost School for Exceptional Children | PK-12 | 20 | 6.7 |
Towns near Sulphur
- Carlyss, LA3.7 mi · 5,101 people · home $173,200
- Westlake, LA5.9 mi · 4,781 people · home $166,100
- Prien, LA7.3 mi · 7,745 people · home $278,000
- Lake Charles, LA8.9 mi · 84,872 people · home $214,300
- Moss Bluff, LA10.4 mi · 12,522 people · home $252,900
- Vinton, LA13.7 mi · 3,400 people · home $106,800
- DeQuincy, LA16.1 mi · 3,144 people · home $124,500
- Iowa, LA20.5 mi · 3,436 people · home $249,200
Sulphur questions
Is Sulphur, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sulphur scores better for retirees than 22% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 19%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).
How much does a house cost in Sulphur?
The median owner-occupied home in Sulphur is valued at $182,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,760, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $994 a month.
What is the weather like in Sulphur?
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 Sulphur get tornadoes?
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sulphur since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 12, 1971. 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)