City profile
Lake Charles, LA
Calcasieu Parish · Population 81,143
Lake Charles is a city in Calcasieu Parish, LA with about 81,143 residents and a typical home value near $214,000. It is 71 miles from Lafayette, LA, which shapes its climate, healthcare access and amenities.
Climate
Climate type
Humid subtropical
Winter avg
53°F
Summer avg
83°F
Sunny days / yr
218
Home prices & cost of living
Median home price
$214,300
Typical monthly housing
$1,262
Cost of living (100 = U.S.)
87
Taxes
- Property tax
- 0.55%
- State income tax (top)
- 3%
- Social Security
- Not taxed
- Pensions
- Partly exempt
- Sales tax (state + avg. local)
- 10.11%
FEMA natural hazard risk
Relatively High · county score 96/100
Top hazards: Lightning, Hurricane, Tornado
Nearest major airport
128 mi to George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Political lean (2024 county vote)
Leans Republican · 30% Democratic / 69% Republican
Community
Population
81,143
Black population
42.4%
County
Calcasieu Parish
Detailed crime figures are available for our 201 hand-researched cities.
2025–2026 trends
2026 market trends
- ▸More retirees are leaving LA than arriving, mostly over cost
- ▸Home insurance is very expensive or hard to get here — get quotes before you buy
- ▸Home prices are softening in 2026 — more room to negotiate
- ▸Part of the New Great Migration — a growing Black community in the South
Highlights
- About 81,143 residents
- Typical home value about $214,000
- 71 miles from Lafayette, LA
Trade-offs
- Scores for this place are estimated from Census data and the nearest major city
Figures are estimates from public sources (see How we match). Verify before making decisions.