Lake Charles, LA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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    2024 Population
    244,027
    US Senator
    Bill Cassidy
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    John Kennedy
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    37.6
    0.804% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    16.8%
    4.34% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $66,700
    0.463% 1-year decline
    2024 Median Property Value
    $207,800
    4.47% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    107,727
    0.397% 1-year growth

    About

    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.

    98.1% of the residents in Lake Charles, LA are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Lake Charles, LA are SOWELA Technical Community College (2,326 degrees awarded in 2024), McNeese State University (1,244 degrees), and Stage One-The Hair School (34 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Lake Charles, LA was $207,800, and the homeownership rate was 73.8%.

    Most people in Lake Charles, LA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Lake Charles, LA was 2 cars per household.

    United StatesLouisiana

    Population & Diversity

    Lake Charles, LA is home to a population of 244k people, from which 98.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 3.14% of Lake Charles, LA residents were born outside of the country (7.67k people).

    In 2024, there were 3.07 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (163k people) in Lake Charles, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 53.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.26k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    98.1%
    2024 Citizenship
    98.3%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 98.1% of Lake Charles, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, 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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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lake Charles, LA
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      163k ± 984
    2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      53.1k ± 1.63k
    3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      8.26k ± 1.36k
    4.89%
    Hispanic Population
    11.9k people

    In 2024, there were 3.07 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (163k people) in Lake Charles, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 53.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.26k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    4.89% of the people in Lake Charles, LA are hispanic (11.9k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 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
      48,818 ± 5,396 people
    2. Mexico
      27,788 ± 4,080 people
    3. Vietnam
      17,351 ± 3,228 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Louisiana was Honduras, the natal country of 48,818 Louisiana residents, followed by Mexico with 27,788 and Vietnam with 17,351.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    3.14%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    7.67k people
    2.89%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    7.11k people

    As of 2024, 3.14% of Lake Charles, LA residents (7.67k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lake Charles, LA was 2.89%, 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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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      3,847 ± 526
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      3,520 ± 675
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      2,270 ± 477

    Lake Charles, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.09 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Lake Charles, LA.

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    Health

    92.8% of the population of Lake Charles, LA has health coverage, with 43.4% on employee plans, 24.4% on Medicaid, 11.8% on Medicare, 12.1% on non-group plans, and 1.15% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Louisiana see 1,441 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,441 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1692 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 283 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
    1,441 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Louisiana

    Primary care physicians in Louisiana see an average of 1,441 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,441 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 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.1% under 18 years, 20.6% between 18 and 34 years, 37.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.1% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.9% were men and 51.1% were women.

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

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    Uninsured People

    7.23%
    Uninsured
    43.4%
    Employer Coverage
    24.4%
    Medicaid
    11.8%
    Medicare
    12.1%
    Non-Group
    1.15%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lake Charles, LA declined by 2.47% from 7.41% to 7.23%.

    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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    Economy

    The economy of Lake Charles, LA employs 108k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Lake Charles, LA were Health Care & Social Assistance (15,860 people), Retail Trade (12,369 people), and Educational Services (11,274 people), and the highest paying industries were Manufacturing ($100,140), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($91,375), and Utilities ($78,594).

    Employment

    Occupations

    108k
    2024 Value
    ± 3,422
    0.397%
    1 Year growth
    ± 4.44%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lake Charles, LA grew at a rate of 0.397%, from 107k employees to 108k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lake Charles, LA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,288 people), Sales & Related Occupations (10,566 people), and Management Occupations (10,120 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 Louisiana.

    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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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    108k
    2024 Value
    ± 3,422
    0.397%
    1 Year growth
    ± 4.44%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lake Charles, LA grew at a rate of 0.397%, from 107k employees to 108k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lake Charles, LA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,860 people), Retail Trade (12,369 people), and Educational Services (11,274 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

    $57,796
    Median earning men ± $2,751
    $31,887
    Median earning women ± $907

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Manufacturing ($113,977), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($78,168), and Wholesale Trade ($74,623).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Manufacturing ($60,225), Wholesale Trade ($60,093), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,438).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
    Y-Axis
    1.78%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 1.94M people employed in Louisiana. This represents a 1.78% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

    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. 363
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    2. 360
      Retail Trade
    3. 299
      Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $1.09M
      Manufacturing
    2. $715k
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    3. $441k
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Louisiana went to Donald J. Trump with 60.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38.2%), followed by Other (0.547%).

    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.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Lake Charles, LA. Showing the available data for Louisiana.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (60.2%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (38.2%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Other (0.547%)
      Other Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Louisiana went to Donald J. Trump with 60.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38.2%), followed by Other (0.547%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Louisiana for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    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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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Lake Charles, LA awarded 3,635 degrees. The student population of Lake Charles, LA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 4,018 male students and 5,813 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Lake Charles, LA are White (2,621 and 74%), Black or African American (531 and 15%), Hispanic or Latino (199 and 5.62%), and Two or More Races (105 and 2.97%).

    The largest universities in Lake Charles, LA by number of degrees awarded are SOWELA Technical Community College (2,326 and 64%), McNeese State University (1,244 and 34.2%), and Stage One-The Hair School (34 and 0.935%).

    The most popular majors in Lake Charles, LA are Instrumentation Technology (373 and 10.3%), General Studies (317 and 8.72%), and Electrician (309 and 8.5%).

    The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $5,147 for in-state students and $6,647 for out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Lake Charles, LA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 78.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 38.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 9,831 (40.9% men and 59.1% 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 2024 there were 9,831 students enrolled in Lake Charles, LA, 40.9% men and 59.1% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,242 records, of which 57% were women and 43% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Registered Nursing
      149 degrees awarded
    2. General Studies
      121 degrees awarded
    3. General Business Administration & Management
      84 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Lake Charles, LA was Registered Nursing with 149 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. SOWELA Technical Community College
      2,326 degrees awarded
    2. McNeese State University
      1,244 degrees awarded
    3. Stage One-The Hair School
      34 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was SOWELA Technical Community College with 2,326 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 1,943 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lake Charles, LA, which is 1.15 times more than the 1,692 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,621 degrees mean that there were 4.94 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 531 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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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Public, 4-year or above ($5,147) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($3,342) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    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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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Lake Charles, LA was $207,800 in 2024, which is 0.625 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $198,900 to $207,800, a 4.47% increase. The homeownership rate in Lake Charles, LA is 73.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Lake Charles, LA have an average commute time of 22.8 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.

    Housing

    Property

    $207,800
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$6,378
    $67,963
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$2,429

    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

    73.8%
    Homeownership
    2024
    67.7%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 73.8% of the housing units in Lake Charles, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 73.3%.

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

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $66,700
    Median Household Income
    ± $2,270
    92k
    Number of Households
    ± 2,923

    In 2024, the median household income of the 92k households in Lake Charles, LA declined from $66,700 from the previous year's value of $67,010.

    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.
    0.464
    2024 Wage GINI in Louisiana
    0.465
    2023 Wage GINI in Louisiana

    In 2024, the income inequality in Louisiana was 0.464 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.265% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Louisiana was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (81.6%)
    2. Carpooled (9.87%)
    3. Worked At Home (5.34%)

    In 2024, 81.6% of workers in Lake Charles, LA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.87%) and those who worked at home (5.34%).

    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

    22.8 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Lake Charles, LA have a shorter commute time (22.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.49% 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

    Poverty & Diversity

    16.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lake Charles, LA (40.4k out of 241k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females 35 - 44.

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

    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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