Baton Rouge vs Lake Charles
Baton Rouge, 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 Baton Rouge on overall objective livability (51 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Baton Rouge | Lake Charles |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $50k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $47k |
| Home Value | $218k | $191k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.34% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.00% | 8.64% |
| Unemployment | 8.6% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 52°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 66.6 in | 65.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 109 days | 123 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 70.3 | 92.7 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.8 | 85.1 |
| Violent Crime | 2663/100k | 1770/100k |
| Property Crime | 5861/100k | 3122/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 225,500 | 82,430 |
| Median Age | 31.9 | 35.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | D+13 | R+36 |
| White (%) | 35.8% | 44.3% |
| Black (%) | 52.4% | 45.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.4% | 3.9% |
| Asian (%) | 3.8% | 2.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 9.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 60 mi | 127 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.5% | 81.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.83 | 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 Baton Rouge or Lake Charles more affordable?
- Lake Charles has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Baton Rouge's $49k and Lake Charles's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Baton Rouge versus $1k in Lake Charles.
- Is Baton Rouge or Lake Charles safer?
- Lake Charles has the lower violent crime rate. Baton Rouge reports 2663/100k and Lake Charles reports 1770/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Baton Rouge or Lake Charles?
- The median home value is $218k in Baton Rouge and $191k in Lake Charles, so homes are more affordable in Lake Charles.