Lake Charles is a city located in Calcasieu Parish Louisiana. Lake Charles has a 2024 population of 77,884. Lake Charles is currently declining at a rate of -2.2% annually and its population has decreased by -8.24% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 84,879 in 2020.
The average household income in Lake Charles is $84,976 with a poverty rate of 22.57%. The median age in Lake Charles is 35.7 years: 34.6 years for males, and 37.2 years for females.
Lake Charles is a city located in the state of Louisiana. The city was founded in 1861 and has become a major center for culture, education, and industry within Louisiana.
The city grew significantly during the 20th century, reaching a peak population of almost 78,000 residents in 1970. However, this was followed by periods of decline and when population counts did go up, it was minor compared to previous years. However, recent estimates show that the population is up 6.7%. Continuing on this trajectory will bring the city of Lake Charles to its highest population count yet.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Lake Charles was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 37,754 | 45.8% |
| White | 37,396 | 45.37% |
| Two or more races | 4,255 | 5.16% |
| Asian | 2,107 | 2.56% |
| Other race | 715 | 0.87% |
| Native American | 203 | 0.25% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
Black or African American
White
Two or more races
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 32,187 | 2.48 | 57.6 | 42.4 |
| Non Family | 13,562 | 1.28 | 46.2 | 53.8 |
| Married | 12,248 | 3.15 | 77.9 | 22.1 |
| Female | 5,285 | 3.7 | 41.2 | 58.8 |
| Male | 1,092 | 3.96 | 51.2 | 48.8 |
3.29
Average Family Size
2.48
Average Household Size
57.6%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 3,908 | 7.08% |
| Associates Degree | 4,800 | 8.7% |
| Bachelors Degree | 9,559 | 17.32% |
| Graduate Degree | 5,599 | 10.15% |
| High School Graduate | 16,864 | 30.56% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,793 | 3.25% |
| Some College | 12,657 | 22.94% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 27,050 | 25,576 | 9,825 |
| Black | 23,254 | 19,530 | 3,495 |
| 2+ Races | 2,542 | 2,341 | 818 |
| Hispanic | 2,129 | 1,799 | 664 |
| Asian | 1,112 | 1,016 | 680 |
| Other Race | 590 | 443 | 83 |
| Native American | 143 | 140 | 46 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 97.9%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 61.15%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $49,868 | $81,181 | $40,237 |
| Graduate Degree | $64,058 | $91,360 | $57,836 |
| High School Graduate | $33,702 | $43,669 | $22,799 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $24,545 | $33,689 | $21,403 |
| Overall | $41,092 | $51,889 | $28,847 |
| Some College | $35,844 | $51,780 | $27,783 |
$41,092
Average Earnings
$51,889
Average Male
$28,847
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
93.73% of Lake Charles residents speak only English, while 6.27% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other Indo-European, which is spoken by 2.78% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 36,756 | 12,330 | 33.55% |
| White | 35,511 | 3,988 | 11.23% |
| Multiple | 3,999 | 743 | 18.58% |
| Asian | 2,079 | 589 | 28.33% |
| Hispanic | 2,916 | 497 | 17.04% |
| Other | 670 | 143 | 21.34% |
| Native | 203 | 74 | 36.45% |
22.57%
Overall Poverty Rate
20.92%
Male Poverty Rate
24.13%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Lake Charles is Native, with 36.45% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Lake Charles is White, with 11.23% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.34%. Among those working part-time, it was 22.26%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 31.94%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 38.09% |
| High School | 23.55% |
| Some College | 13.67% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 7.91% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 63.63% |
| Male Unemployed | 35.25% |
| Female Employed | 12.72% |
| Male Employed | 6.53% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $74,758 | $109,996 |
| Households | $54,761 | $84,976 |
| Married Families | $101,667 | $140,512 |
| Non Families | $35,883 | $49,240 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
40.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.2%
Male Marriage Rate
36.7%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
5,704
Number of Veterans
5,158
Male Veterans
546
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 1,630 |
| Vietnam | 1,476 |
| First Gulf War | 1,212 |
| World War II | 153 |
| Korea | 106 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 1,360 |
| 55 to 64 | 1,266 |
| 75+ | 1,137 |
| 65 to 74 | 984 |
| 18 to 34 | 957 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,045 | 9.76% |
| Black | 2,296 | 8.3% |
| 2+ Races | 232 | 8.32% |
| Other Race | 91 | 14.8% |
| Hispanic | 54 | 2.18% |
| Native American | 25 | 14.62% |
| Asian | 15 | 0.99% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
17.44%
Veteran Poverty Rate
38.25%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
59.1%
Labor Force Participation
55.6%
Employment Rate
5.7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
78.66%
Born in Lake Charles
95.74%
Native Born
4.26%
Foreign Born
2.8%
Non Citizen
1.46%
Naturalized
95.74% of Lake Charles residents were born in the United States, with 78.66% having been born in Louisiana. 2.8% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 69,140 | -1,749 | -2.47% |
| 2028 | 70,889 | -1,749 | -2.41% |
| 2027 | 72,638 | -1,748 | -2.35% |
| 2026 | 74,386 | -1,749 | -2.3% |
| 2025 | 76,135 | -1,749 | -2.25% |
| 2024 | 77,884 | -1,749 | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 79,633 | 561 | 0.71% |
| 2022 | 79,072 | -1,384 | -1.72% |
| 2021 | 80,456 | -4,423 | -5.21% |
| 2020 | 84,879 | 6,369 | 8.11% |
| 2019 | 78,510 | 225 | 0.29% |
| 2018 | 78,285 | 727 | 0.94% |
| 2017 | 77,558 | 1,096 | 1.43% |
| 2016 | 76,462 | 812 | 1.07% |
| 2015 | 75,650 | 1,170 | 1.57% |
| 2014 | 74,480 | 622 | 0.84% |
| 2013 | 73,858 | 222 | 0.3% |
| 2012 | 73,636 | 788 | 1.08% |
| 2011 | 72,848 | 342 | 0.47% |
| 2010 | 72,506 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 71,757 | 1,177 | 1.67% |
| 1990 | 70,580 | -4,646 | -6.18% |
| 1980 | 75,226 | -2,772 | -3.55% |
| 1970 | 77,998 | 14,606 | 23.04% |
| 1960 | 63,392 | 22,120 | 53.6% |
| 1950 | 41,272 | 20,065 | 94.61% |
| 1940 | 21,207 | 5,416 | 34.3% |
| 1930 | 15,791 | 2,703 | 20.65% |
| 1920 | 13,088 | 1,639 | 14.32% |
| 1910 | 11,449 | 4,769 | 71.39% |
| 1900 | 6,680 | 3,238 | 94.07% |
| 1890 | 3,442 | -65,698 | -95.02% |