Lake Charles, Louisiana
Among the top 13% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 39% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 87% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 11% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 80% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 45% of US places
- top 4% for property tax rate
- top 5% for comfortable days
- bottom 1% for summer humidity
Lake Charles is a mid-size city in Louisiana with about 82,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include property tax rate, comfortable days, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on sales tax and summer humidity.
Official websitecityoflakecharles.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Mild winters · Wet
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comfortable
85%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 6.8 in4.7 in
oppressive 99%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 47% of US places
Home Value$191k59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 40% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 50% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.34%better than 96% of US places
Income Tax4.30%better than 69% of US places
Sales Tax9.56%better than 1% of US places
Estimated total tax burden8.64%better than 69% of US places
Unemployment5.7%better than 33% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)53°F93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)84°F93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation65.1 in98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days252 daysbetter than 69% of US places
Summer Humidity74°Fbetter than 1% of US places
Comfortable Days123 daysbetter than 95% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.7better than 6% of US places
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 49% of US places
School Quality85.1better than 79% of US places
Violent Crime1770/100kbetter than 11% of US places
Property Crime3122/100kbetter than 6% of US places
Community
Population82,43099th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.725th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5892nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9645th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3662nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)44.3%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)45.8%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.9%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.5%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 92% of US places
Walkability9.7/20better than 85% of US places
Airport Distance127 mibetter than 25% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access81.3%better than 34% of US places
Amenities Nearby21.72better than 22% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 90% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lake Charles an affordable place to live?
- Lake Charles is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 47% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lake Charles?
- The median home value in Lake Charles is $191k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lake Charles?
- Median household income in Lake Charles is $55k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lake Charles?
- Median gross rent in Lake Charles is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lake Charles safe?
- Lake Charles is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1770/100k (better than 11%). Property crime is 3122/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lake Charles?
- Lake Charles averages 84°F in July and 53°F in January, with 65.1 in of annual precipitation and about 252 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lake Charles?
- Public-school quality in Lake Charles is above average, scoring better than 79% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lake Charles?
- The average one-way commute in Lake Charles is 18 min.
Places near Lake Charles
Compare Lake Charles
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)