Lake Charles, LA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2021 Population
218,296
4.04% 1-year growth
US Senator
Bill Cassidy
Republican Party
US Senator
John Kennedy
Republican Party
2021 Median Age
36.6
0.549% 1-year increase
2021 Poverty Rate
16.1%
2.18% 1-year decrease
2021 Median Household Income
$59,828
12.9% 1-year growth
2021 Median Property Value
$170,900
7.08% 1-year growth
2021 Employed Population
96,406
3.22% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Lake Charles, LA had a population of 218k people with a median age of 36.6 and a median household income of $59,828. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Lake Charles, LA grew from 209,821 to 218,296, a 4.04% increase and its median household income grew from $52,986 to $59,828, a 12.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lake Charles, LA are White (Non-Hispanic) (67.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (24.4%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.52%), White (Hispanic) (2.34%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.43%).

None of the households in Lake Charles, LA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98% of the residents in Lake Charles, LA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lake Charles, LA are SOWELA Technical Community College (1,569 degrees awarded in 2021), McNeese State University (1,395 degrees), and Unitech Training Academy-Lake Charles (64 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Lake Charles, LA was $170,900, and the homeownership rate was 70.9%.

Most people in Lake Charles, LA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Lake Charles, LA was 2 cars per household.

geosearchPopulation & Diversity

Lake Charles, LA is home to a population of 218k people, from which 98% are citizens. As of 2021, 3.35% of Lake Charles, LA residents were born outside of the country (7.32k people).

In 2021, there were 2.76 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (147k people) in Lake Charles, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 53.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 5.5k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

98%
2021 Citizenship
98.3%
2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98% of Lake Charles, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Lake Charles, LA was 98.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lake Charles, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lake Charles, LA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    147k ± 380
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    53.2k ± 799
  3. Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
    5.5k ± 923
4.04%
Hispanic Population
8.81k people

In 2021, there were 2.76 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (147k people) in Lake Charles, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 53.2k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 5.5k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

4.04% of the people in Lake Charles, LA are hispanic (8.81k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lake Charles, LA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Louisiana.
Most Common Origin
  1. Honduras
    34,582 ± 4,549 people
  2. Mexico
    24,245 ± 3,813 people
  3. Vietnam
    18,108 ± 3,297 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Louisiana was Honduras, the natal country of 34,582 Louisiana residents, followed by Mexico with 24,245 and Vietnam with 18,108.

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Foreign-Born Population

3.35%
2021 Foreign-Born Population
7.32k people
2.84%
2020 Foreign-Born Population
5.96k people

As of 2021, 3.35% of Lake Charles, LA residents (7.32k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lake Charles, LA was 2.84%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lake Charles, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    4,273 ± 513
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    2,814 ± 638
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    1,994 ± 425

Lake Charles, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.52 times greater than any other conflict.

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briefcaseEconomy

The economy of Lake Charles, LA employs 96.4k people. The largest industries in Lake Charles, LA are Health Care & Social Assistance (13,511 people), Construction (11,482 people), and Retail Trade (10,386 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($101,115), Manufacturing ($89,041), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($67,375).

Males in Louisiana have an average income that is 1.54 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,011. The income inequality in Louisiana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.467, which is lower than than the national average.

Occupations

96.4k
2021 Value
± 3,135
3.22%
1 Year growth
± 4.45%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lake Charles, LA grew at a rate of 3.22%, from 93.4k employees to 96.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lake Charles, LA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,137 people), Sales & Related Occupations (9,220 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (8,938 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lake Charles, LA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Louisiana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industries

96.4k
2021 Value
± 3,135
3.22%
1 Year growth
± 4.45%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Lake Charles, LA grew at a rate of 3.22%, from 93.4k employees to 96.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lake Charles, LA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (13,511 people), Construction (11,482 people), and Retail Trade (10,386 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lake Charles, LA, though some of these residents may live in Lake Charles, LA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$51,967
Median earning men ± $2,368
$26,513
Median earning women ± $1,071

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Manufacturing ($98,489), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($81,588), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($72,452).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($53,667), Manufacturing ($44,700), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($41,901).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.
Y-Axis
2.75%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Louisiana. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Louisiana.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 1,909
    Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
  2. 1,338
    Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
  3. 973
    Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $3.69M
    Manufacturing
  2. $1.54M
    Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
  3. $595k
    Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Louisiana to other states, or from other states to Louisiana.
Top Domestic Production in Dollars
  1. $48B
  2. $46.7B
  3. $46.4B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $48B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($46.7B) and Fuel oils ($46.4B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Louisiana products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Louisiana.
$371B
2020 Value in Louisiana
$691B
Projected 2050 Value in Louisiana
86.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Louisiana trade was $371B. This is expected to increase 86.1% to $691B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Louisiana trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Louisiana to other states, or from other states to Louisiana.
Most Common Trade Partners
  1. $48.8B
  2. $24.6B
  3. $8.21B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $48.8B, followed by Mississippi with $24.6B and Florida and $8.21B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Louisiana shares with each state (excluding itself).

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flagCivics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Louisiana went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (39.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.01%).

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing the state of Louisiana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

US Senators from Louisiana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
Bill Cassidy
Senator from Louisiana2
Assumed office on January 3, 2015
John Kennedy
Senator from Louisiana3
Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing Louisiana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Louisiana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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US Representatives from Louisiana

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Louisiana have changed over time starting in 2008.

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learningEducation

In 2021, universities in Lake Charles, LA awarded 3,078 degrees. The student population of Lake Charles, LA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 3,868 male students and 5,754 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lake Charles, LA are White (2,157 and 73.3%), followed by Black or African American (524 and 17.8%), Hispanic or Latino (101 and 3.43%), and Two or More Races (80 and 2.72%).

The largest universities in Lake Charles, LA by number of degrees awarded are SOWELA Technical Community College (1,569 and 51%), McNeese State University (1,395 and 45.3%), and Unitech Training Academy-Lake Charles (64 and 2.08%).

The most popular majors in Lake Charles, LA are General Studies (361 and 11.7%), Other Industrial Production Technology (275 and 8.93%), and Instrumentation Technology (223 and 7.24%).

The median tuition cost in Lake Charles, LA for a public four year colleges is $5,147 for in-state students and $13,185 for out-of-state students.

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2021 in Lake Charles, LA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 68.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 57.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 9,622 (40.2% men and 59.8% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 9,622 students enrolled in Lake Charles, LA, 40.2% men and 59.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,431 records, of which 58.3% were women and 41.7% men.

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Concentrations

Most Common
  1. 111 degree-majors awarded
  2. 122 degree-majors awarded
  3. 118 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Lake Charles, LA was General Business Administration & Management with 111 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Lake Charles, LA according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. 1,569 degrees awarded
  2. 1,395 degrees awarded
  3. 64 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was SOWELA Technical Community College with 1,569 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,432 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lake Charles, LA, which is 0.87 times less than the 1,646 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,157 degrees mean that there were 4.12 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 524 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($5,147) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,233) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,300) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
Measure

In 2021, 0.927% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.797% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

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Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.2M), Some college (815k), and Secondary Education (622k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

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homeHousing & Living

The median property value in Lake Charles, LA was $170,900 in 2021, which is 0.698 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $159,600 to $170,900, a 7.08% increase. The homeownership rate in Lake Charles, LA is 70.9%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Lake Charles, LA have an average commute time of 21.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lake Charles, LA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lake Charles, LA is $59,828. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Lake Charles, LA was Ascension Parish, LA with a value of $86,256, followed by West Baton Rouge Parish, LA and St. Charles Parish, LA, with respective values of $72,391 and $72,088.

Property

$170,900
Median Property Value 2021
±$3,808
$56,067
Median Property Taxes
±$2,170

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lake Charles, LA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lake Charles, LA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

70.9%
Homeownership
2021
67%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2021

In 2021, 70.9% of the housing units in Lake Charles, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 69.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lake Charles, LA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lake Charles, LA was Ascension Parish, LA with a value of $86,256, followed by West Baton Rouge Parish, LA and St. Charles Parish, LA, with respective values of $72,391 and $72,088.

The following map shows all of the counties in Lake Charles, LA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$59,828
Median Household Income
± $3,002
79k
Number of Households
± 2,692

In 2021, the median household income of the 79k households in Lake Charles, LA grew to $59,828 from the previous year's value of $52,986.

The following chart displays the households in Lake Charles, LA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lake Charles, LA is from Louisiana.
0.467
2021 Wage GINI in Louisiana
0.465
2020 Wage GINI in Louisiana

In 2021, the income inequality in Louisiana was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.399% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Louisiana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Louisiana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Louisiana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021
  1. Drove Alone (83.6%)
  2. Carpooled (9.38%)
  3. Worked At Home (3.61%)

In 2021, 83.6% of workers in Lake Charles, LA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.38%) and those who worked at home (3.61%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

21.7 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lake Charles, LA have a shorter commute time (21.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.53% of the workforce in Lake Charles, LA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lake Charles, LA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Lake Charles, LA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lake Charles, LA have 2 cars.

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Poverty & Diversity

16.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lake Charles, LA (34.7k out of 215k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lake Charles, LA is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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pulseHealth

92.2% of the population of Lake Charles, LA has health coverage, with 44.1% on employee plans, 23.4% on Medicaid, 11.4% on Medicare, 11.8% on non-group plans, and 1.55% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Louisiana see 1434 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.18% decrease from the previous year (1466 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1759 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 305 patients per year.

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
1,434 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Louisiana

Primary care physicians in Louisiana see an average of 1,434 patients per year. This represents a 2.18% decrease from the previous year (1,466 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Louisiana in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.4% under 18 years, 21.5% between 18 and 34 years, 37.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

7.77%
Uninsured
44.1%
Employer Coverage
23.4%
Medicaid
11.4%
Medicare
11.8%
Non-Group
1.55%
Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lake Charles, LA declined by 1.8% from 7.91% to 7.77%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lake Charles, LA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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