Lake Charles, LA

Census Place

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2020 Population

77,832

0.71% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bill Cassidy

Republican Party

US Senator

John Kennedy

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

35.5

1.93% 1-year decrease

2020 Poverty Rate

21.4%

5.97% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$44,785

4.29% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$155,700

2020 Employed Population

35,364

0.902% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Lake Charles, LA had a population of 77.8k people with a median age of 35.5 and a median household income of $44,785. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Lake Charles, LA grew from 77,283 to 77,832, a 0.71% increase and its median household income grew from $42,942 to $44,785, a 4.29% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lake Charles, LA are Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (47.8%), White (Non-Hispanic) (43.9%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (2.32%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.18%), and White (Hispanic) (2.05%).

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.

97.8% of the residents in Lake Charles, LA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lake Charles, LA are SOWELA Technical Community College (2,068 degrees awarded in 2020), McNeese State University (1,422 degrees), and Unitech Training Academy-Lake Charles (69 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Lake Charles, LA was $155,700, and the homeownership rate was 54.6%.

Most people in Lake Charles, LA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Lake Charles, LA was 2 cars per household.

Population & Diversity

Lake Charles, LA is home to a population of 77.8k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2018, 3.52% of Lake Charles, LA residents were born outside of the country (2.68k people).

In 2020, there were 1.09 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (37.2k people) in Lake Charles, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 34.2k White (Non-Hispanic) and 1.81k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2020 Citizenship

97.8%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 97.8% of Lake Charles, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Lake Charles, LA was 97.8%, 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.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lake Charles, LA

Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
37.2k ± 1.19k
White (Non-Hispanic)
34.2k ± 1.11k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
1.81k ± 337

3.42%

Hispanic Population

2.66k people

3.42% of the people in Lake Charles, LA are hispanic (2.66k people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Louisiana.

Most Common Origin

Honduras
32,181 ± 4,389 people
Mexico
26,555 ± 3,989 people
Vietnam
18,801 ± 3,360 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Louisiana was Honduras, the natal country of 32,181 Louisiana residents, followed by Mexico with 26,555 and Vietnam with 18,801.

Foreign-Born Population

3.52%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

2.68k people

3.25%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

2.45k people

As of 2018, 3.52% of Lake Charles, LA residents (2.68k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lake Charles, LA was 3.25%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,567 ± 389
Gulf War (2001-)
1,022 ± 339
Gulf War (1990s)
764 ± 236

Lake Charles, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.53 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lake Charles, LA employs 35.4k people. The largest industries in Lake Charles, LA are Health Care & Social Assistance (5,703 people), Retail Trade (3,951 people), and Educational Services (3,109 people), and the highest paying industries are Manufacturing ($64,740), Transportation & Warehousing ($60,582), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($58,214).

Males in Louisiana have an average income that is 1.53 times higher than the average income of females, which is $43,885. The income inequality in Louisiana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.465, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

35.4k

2020 Value

± 1,845

0.902%

1 Year growth

± 6.65%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Lake Charles, LA grew at a rate of 0.902%, from 35k employees to 35.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lake Charles, LA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,329 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,755 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (2,926 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lake Charles, LA.

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

35.4k

2020 Value

± 1,845

0.902%

1 Year growth

± 6.65%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Lake Charles, LA grew at a rate of 0.902%, from 35k employees to 35.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lake Charles, LA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (5,703 people), Retail Trade (3,951 people), and Educational Services (3,109 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.

Median Earnings by Industry

$47,637

Median earning men ± $4,309

$24,997

Median earning women ± $1,678

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($167,601), Manufacturing ($66,511), and Public Administration ($64,865).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,577), Information ($40,817), and Public Administration ($39,055).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Louisiana. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Domestic Trade

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

Gasoline
$49.3B
Fuel oils
$48.1B
Coal-n.e.c.
$37.7B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $49.3B, followed by Fuel oils ($48.1B) and Coal-n.e.c. ($37.7B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Louisiana.

$380B

2020 Value in Louisiana

$689B

Projected 2050 Value in Louisiana

81% growth

In 2020, total outbound Louisiana trade was $380B. This is expected to increase 81% to $689B by 2050.

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

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

Texas
$43.9B
Mississippi
$24.1B
Illinois
$7.47B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $43.9B, followed by Mississippi with $24.1B and Illinois and $7.47B.

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

Civics

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.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Louisiana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

Bill Cassidy

Senator from Louisiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

John Kennedy

Senator from Louisiana

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.

US Representatives Elections

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.

Education

In 2020, universities in Lake Charles, LA awarded 3,646 degrees. The student population of Lake Charles, LA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 4,180 male students and 6,140 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lake Charles, LA are White (2,538 and 72.7%), followed by Black or African American (650 and 18.6%), Two or More Races (108 and 3.09%), and Hispanic or Latino (107 and 3.06%).

The largest universities in Lake Charles, LA by number of degrees awarded are SOWELA Technical Community College (2,068 and 56.7%), McNeese State University (1,422 and 39%), and Unitech Training Academy-Lake Charles (69 and 1.89%).

The most popular majors in Lake Charles, LA are General Studies (481 and 13.2%), Other Industrial Production Technology (375 and 10.3%), and Instrumentation Technology (249 and 6.83%).

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.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Lake Charles, LA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 63.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 55.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 10,320 (40.5% men and 59.5% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 10,320 students enrolled in Lake Charles, LA, 40.5% men and 59.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,899 records, of which 58.7% were women and 41.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
104 degree-majors awarded
General Studies
124 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
105 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Lake Charles, LA was General Business Administration & Management with 104 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

SOWELA Technical Community College
2,068 degrees awarded
McNeese State University
1,422 degrees awarded
Unitech Training Academy-Lake Charles
69 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was SOWELA Technical Community College with 2,068 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 1,771 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lake Charles, LA, which is 0.945 times less than the 1,875 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,538 degrees mean that there were 3.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 650 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($5,147) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,235) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

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.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2020, 0.829% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.761% of women were in the same situation.

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

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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.21M), Some college (825k), and Secondary Education (634k).

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lake Charles, LA was $155,700 in 2020, which is 0.678 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $155,700 to $155,700, a 0% change. The homeownership rate in Lake Charles, LA is 54.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Lake Charles, LA have an average commute time of 17.8 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.

Median household income in Lake Charles, LA is $44,785. In 2020, the place with the highest median household income in Lake Charles, LA was Census Tract 19.01 with a value of $95,734, followed by Census Tract 5 and Census Tract 9, with respective values of $64,940 and $57,634.

Housing

Property

$155,700

Median Property Value 2020

±$4,802

$18,061

Median Property Taxes

±$1,383

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.

Rent vs Own

54.6%

Homeownership

2020

68.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 54.6% of the housing units in Lake Charles, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 52.4%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 19.01
Census Tract 5
Census Tract 9

In 2020, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lake Charles, LA was Census Tract 19.01 with a value of $95,734, followed by Census Tract 5 and Census Tract 9, with respective values of $64,940 and $57,634.

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

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$44,785

Median Household Income

± $3,490

33.1k

Number of Households

± 1,772

In 2020, the median household income of the 33.1k households in Lake Charles, LA grew to $44,785 from the previous year's value of $42,942.

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 < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lake Charles, LA is from Louisiana.

0.465

2020 Wage GINI in Louisiana

0.467

2019 Wage GINI in Louisiana

In 2020, the income inequality in Louisiana was 0.465 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.341% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (83.3%)
Carpooled (9%)
Worked At Home (3.51%)

In 2020, 83.3% of workers in Lake Charles, LA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9%) and those who worked at home (3.51%).

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.

Commute Time

17.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lake Charles, LA have a shorter commute time (17.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.45% 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.

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.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

21.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lake Charles, LA (16.2k out of 75.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 45 - 54.

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

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91.8% of the population of Lake Charles, LA has health coverage, with 40% on employee plans, 25.1% on Medicaid, 10.7% on Medicare, 14.3% on non-group plans, and 1.71% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Louisiana was $7,815 in 2014. This is a 4.38% increase from the previous year ($7,487).

Primary care physicians in Calcasieu Parish, LA see 1286 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.53% decrease from the previous year (1306 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1710 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 385 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Louisiana. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Louisiana, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Calcasieu Parish, LA.

1,286 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Calcasieu Parish, LA

Primary care physicians in Calcasieu Parish, LA see an average of 1,286 patients per year. This represents a 1.53% decrease from the previous year (1,306 patients).

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

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Louisiana across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.4% under 18 years, 25.1% between 18 and 34 years, 34.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46% were men and 54% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.19%

Uninsured

40%

Employer Coverage

25.1%

Medicaid

10.7%

Medicare

14.3%

Non-Group

1.71%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lake Charles, LA declined by 16.9% from 9.85% to 8.19%.

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.