Best Places to Live in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Lake Charles Louisiana makes the perfect spot for anyone looking for water-related activities such as fishing on Lake Charles or sampling some fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants along Lake Street. Small industrial city - Southwest Louisiana, 30 miles west of Texas border.

State: Louisiana
County: Calcasieu County
Metro Area: Lake Charles Metro Area
City: Lake Charles

Zip Codes: 70605 70601 70607 70615
Cost of Living: -16.9% lower
Time zone: Central Standard Time (CST)
Elevation: 9 ft above sea level

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Lake Charles, La Housing Market

Least Expensive Homes	Homes Over 2,000 Sq. Ft.
Most Expensive Homes	Homes less than 10 yrs old
All Single Family Homes

Pros
Cost of living
Recent job growth
Entertainment

Cons
Hurricane dislocation
Low educational attainment
Hot, humid summers

What Bert Has To Say About Lake Charles Metro Area

Lake Charles is a deepwater port and center for the lumber and petrochemical industries, and suffered considerable damage in the 2005 Hurricane Rita. Prior to the storm, the city had a mostly industrial small-town feel with some historic areas, including the Victorian-era Charpentier District and a nice boardwalk area. Some casinos had arrived on the waterfront, including the large L’Auberge du Lac resort and casino.

Highlights

ECONOMY

The unemployment rate in Lake Charles is 8.7% (U.S. avg. is 6.0%). Recent job growth is Positive. Lake Charles jobs have increased by 3.3%. More Economy

COST OF LIVING

Compared to the rest of the country, Lake Charles's cost of living is 16.9% lower than the U.S. average. More Cost of Living or Compare Lake Charles's Cost of Living

WEATHER & CLIMATE

April, October and November are the most pleasant months in Lake Charles, while August and July are the least comfortable months. Today's Weather | Climate Averages

VOTING

In the last Presidential election, Calcasieu parish remained overwhelmingly Republican, 66.6% to 31.4%. More Voting Stats

POPULATION

Lake Charles's population is 78,433 people. Since 2020, it has had a population growth of 5.6%. Learn More...

TRANSPORTATION

Average Commute time is 16.7 minutes. The National Average is 26.4 minutes. Learn More...

REAL ESTATE

The median home cost in Lake Charles is Real Estate: $181,800. Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 6.2%.

SCHOOLS

Lake Charles public schools spend $10,638 per student. The average school expenditure in the U.S. is $12,383. There are about 13.8 students per teacher in Lake Charles. More Education

Best Places to Live in Lake Charles Rankings

#16	America's Most (and Least) Stressful Cities (117 Smallest Metro Areas)
#109	America's Best and Worst Cities for Crime (Smallest Metro Areas)
#248	2005 Best Places to Live
#379	Best Green Cities

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Housing Market in Lake Charles

It's a good time to buy in Lake Charles. Home Appreciation is up 2.0% in the last 12 months.
The median home price in Lake Charles is $181,800.

Schools: See Local Schools

Real Estate: See Homes

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Reviews for Lake Charles 34 Reviews

not as bad as people think it is - 2/8/2022
this place isn’t that bad. I’m not sure what the other people here are talking about..I’ve made plenty of friends here. There are some suspicious and bad people around,... Read More

Casey Davis | Moss Bluff, LA | Reply | No Replies

Start Your Review of Lake Charles

Very tense atmosphere - 6/16/2021
Lake Charles, Louisiana is one of the absolute creepiest cities in the USA. The people feel dead inside. They also seem to secretly hate each other. It is also an... Read More

Jeremy | Moss Bluff, LA | Reply | No Replies

clannish (feels like a cult) - 11/24/2020
Beware reader, the city of Lake Charles is an absolute sh*thole. If you are traveling through I-10 you might want to skip this place. This place is the very worst of the... Read More

Marshall L. | | Reply | No Replies

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Compare Lake Charles, Louisiana to any other place in the USA.

MAPS OF LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA

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ZIP CODES IN LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA

70605 70601 70607 70615

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United States / Louisiana / Lake Charles Metro Area / Calcasieu County / Lake Charles / Zip Codes