Alexandria vs Lake Charles
Alexandria, Louisiana versus Lake Charles, Louisiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lake Charles edges out Alexandria on overall objective livability (51 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Alexandria | Lake Charles |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $47k |
| Home Value | $180k | $191k |
| Monthly Rent | $928 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.47% | 0.34% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.19% | 8.64% |
| Unemployment | 7.5% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 49°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.9 in | 65.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 237 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 72°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 123 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 39.1 | 92.7 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 46.1 | 85.1 |
| Violent Crime | 5037/100k | 1770/100k |
| Property Crime | 6332/100k | 3122/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,133 | 82,430 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 35.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+33 | R+36 |
| White (%) | 36.5% | 44.3% |
| Black (%) | 55.3% | 45.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.2% | 3.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 2.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 9.8/20 | 9.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 160 mi | 127 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.3% | 81.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 10.41 | 21.72 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Alexandria or Lake Charles more affordable?
- Alexandria has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Alexandria's $43k and Lake Charles's $47k. Median rent is $928 in Alexandria versus $1k in Lake Charles.
- Is Alexandria or Lake Charles safer?
- Lake Charles has the lower violent crime rate. Alexandria reports 5037/100k and Lake Charles reports 1770/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Alexandria or Lake Charles?
- The median home value is $180k in Alexandria and $191k in Lake Charles, so homes are more affordable in Alexandria.