Lake Charles vs New Iberia
Lake Charles, Louisiana versus New Iberia, Louisiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
New Iberia edges out Lake Charles on overall objective livability (58 vs 51 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lake Charles | New Iberia |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $55k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $43k |
| Home Value | $191k | $151k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $817 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.34% | 0.33% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.64% | 8.52% |
| Unemployment | 5.7% | 9.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 53°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 65.1 in | 59.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 252 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 123 days | 119 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 92.7 | 83.2 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 85.1 | 38.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1770/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 3122/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 82,430 | 28,363 |
| Median Age | 35.7 | 34.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.58 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+36 | R+32 |
| White (%) | 44.3% | 45.5% |
| Black (%) | 45.8% | 44.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 4.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 9.7/20 | 8.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 127 mi | 94 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.3% | 84.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 21.72 | 22.56 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 Lake Charles or New Iberia more affordable?
- New Iberia has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Lake Charles's $47k and New Iberia's $43k. Median rent is $1k in Lake Charles versus $817 in New Iberia.
- Is Lake Charles or New Iberia safer?
- New Iberia has the lower violent crime rate. Lake Charles reports 1770/100k and New Iberia reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lake Charles or New Iberia?
- The median home value is $191k in Lake Charles and $151k in New Iberia, so homes are more affordable in New Iberia.