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City · 81,143 residents · Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

Lake Charles , Louisiana

In Lake Charles, a typical home is worth $214,300 and typical rent is $1,109 a month. Compared with all of Calcasieu Parish, typical household income is 12% lower and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $214,300

    About the same as the parish

    About the same as Louisiana

    • Lake Charles
    • Calcasieu
    • Louisiana

  • Typical rent

    $1,109a month

    About the same as the parish

    4% above Louisiana

    • Lake Charles
    • Calcasieu
    • Louisiana

  • Typical household income

    $59,235a year

    12% below the parish

    3% below Louisiana

    • Lake Charles
    • Calcasieu
    • Louisiana

  • Households that own their home

    61%

    12 points below the parish

    6 points below Louisiana

    • Lake Charles
    • Calcasieu
    • Louisiana

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$206,813
2.1% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,329 a month
18.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Lake Charles is in Calcasieu Parish. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Calcasieu Parish. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Lake Charles apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Jennings, the typical home value is $136,700: 36% less than in Lake Charles ($214,300).

  2. Nearby, in Jennings, the typical rent is $881: 21% less than in Lake Charles ($1,109).

  3. 61% of households in Lake Charles own their home, against 73% in Calcasieu Parish.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Lake Charles

What homes there are in Lake Charles, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

As in Calcasieu Parish, most homes in Lake Charles are detached houses (68%).

Year built

The typical home in Lake Charles was built in 1981, 8 years before the typical one in Calcasieu Parish.

In Lake Charles, 11% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 61% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 70% in Calcasieu Parish.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

By price, most homes in Lake Charles sit under the FHA limit for Calcasieu Parish ($541,287): about 89%.

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,231), about 59% of rented homes in Lake Charles cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,543 a month

Calcasieu Parish: $1,596 a month

Without a mortgage

$445 a month

Calcasieu Parish: $426 a month

Owners with a mortgage

54%

Calcasieu Parish: 51%

Owning costs about the same in Lake Charles as in Calcasieu Parish: with a mortgage, $1,543 a month; without one, $445.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Lake Charles rose 38% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Calcasieu Parish (38%).

Rents in Lake Charles rose at about the same pace as in Calcasieu Parish: 36% since 2015–2019, against 33%.

To compare: typical income in Lake Charles rose 38%; the home, +38%; the rent, +36%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureLake CharlesCalcasieu ParishLouisianaUnited States
Rental vacancy 12.6%14.0%7.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.6%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.7%2.0%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.462.622.492.53
Drive alone 80%81%79%69%
Carpool 11%10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 3%2%2%3%
Work from home 5%6%8%15%
Other means 1%1%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

There is little rental housing open in Lake Charles: only 12.6% is empty and offered for rent, against 14.0% in Calcasieu Parish.

Much as in Calcasieu Parish, 1.7% of households in Lake Charles have more than one person per room.

Households in Lake Charles are smaller: 2.46 people on average; in Calcasieu Parish, 2.62.

To get to work, 80% of workers in Lake Charles drive alone; in Calcasieu Parish, 81%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Lake Charles?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Lake Charles, worth $214,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 34% of the typical household income in Lake Charles, which is $59,235 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $71,735 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Calcasieu Parish.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Lake Charles. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $7,501 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,674

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$210,418
Total interest
$302,742
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,619 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,382 a month

  • Tight

    $1,382 to $1,777 a month

    Your payment · 34%

  • Hard

    more than $1,777 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Lake Charles ($59,235 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,674
Principal & interest$1,425
Property tax$64
Home insurance$89
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$95

You need at least $7,501 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Lake Charles and Calcasieu Parish

Lake Charles is in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Lake Charles's own numbers

Typical home value
$214,300
Typical monthly rent
$1,109
Typical yearly household income
$59,235
Households that own their home
61%
Effective property tax rate
0.36%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Calcasieu Parish

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,231
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+12%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
19%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Calcasieu Parish.

Everything about Calcasieu Parish

Buying

Buying a home in Lake Charles

A typical home in Lake Charles is worth $214,300: about the same as the parish and about the same as Louisiana. With the typical household income in Lake Charles ($59,235 a year), a typical home costs 3.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Lake Charles 3.6 years
  • Calcasieu 3.2 years
  • Louisiana 3.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Calcasieu Parish

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Calcasieu Parish rose 28% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Calcasieu Parish.

Period Parish Louisiana U.S.
Last year (2025) −1.4% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +12% +22% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +28% +38% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Lake Charles next to Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Lake Charles $214,300
  • Calcasieu $217,000
  • Louisiana $216,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Lake Charles $1,109
  • Calcasieu $1,109
  • Louisiana $1,064
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Lake Charles $59,235
  • Calcasieu $67,564
  • Louisiana $60,756
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Lake Charles next to Calcasieu Parish and Louisiana
Measure Lake Charles Calcasieu Parish Louisiana U.S.
Typical home value $214,300 $217,000 $216,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,109 $1,109 $1,064 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $59,235 $67,564 $60,756 $80,734
Households that own their home 61% 73% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $774 $968 $1,180 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.36% 0.45% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 57% 52% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Calcasieu Parish. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Lake Charles

For a typical $214,300 home in Lake Charles, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Lake Charles's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,674a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,501
    Cash to close
    $13,930
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $95

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,635a month

    Down payment
    $10,715
    Cash to close
    $17,144
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $102

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,315a month

    Down payment
    $42,860
    Cash to close
    $49,289
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,513a month

    Down payment
    $32,145
    Cash to close
    $38,574
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Lake Charles and for Calcasieu Parish.

Property tax

Effective rate in Lake Charles

0.36%of the home’s value each year

$774 a year for the typical owner in Lake Charles.

  • Lake Charles 0.36%
  • Calcasieu 0.45%
  • Louisiana 0.55%

What Louisiana publishes Homestead exemption: $7,500 of assessed value (Louisiana State Legislature (Louisiana Constitution))

Exemptions and deadlines in Louisiana

Flood risk in Calcasieu Parish

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Calcasieu Parish.

Homes in the high-risk zone
19%
12,927
Of those, with NFIP insurance
43%
Parish Louisiana U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 19% 15% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 43% 73% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Lake Charles

Typical rent in Lake Charles is $1,109 a month: about the same as the parish. In Lake Charles, 57% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Calcasieu Parish, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,231 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $23.67 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Calcasieu Parish

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $935 $17.98 $37,400
1 bedroom $941 $18.10 $37,640
2 bedrooms $1,231 $23.67 $49,240
3 bedrooms $1,467 $28.21 $58,680
4 bedrooms $1,713 $32.94 $68,520

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Lake Charles

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Lake Charles has 6 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,100 in 70601 to $1,480 in 70605.

2 of the 6 are above the fair market rent for Calcasieu Parish ($1,231).

  • 70601 $1,100$1,320
  • 70605 $1,480$1,760
  • 70607 $1,190$1,420
  • 70609 $1,340$1,590
  • 70615 $1,210$1,440
  • 70629 $1,230$1,470

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Lake Charles when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Lake Charles

HUD lists 47 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Lake Charles. These are the largest.

  • Chateau Du Lac 333 Mill St, Lake Charles 70601 198 low-income homes · 1 bd: 178 · 2 bd: 20 · In service since 2007 · For older adults, people with disabilities (337) 436-0380
  • Whispering Pines 5th Avenue, Lake Charles 70607 170 low-income homes · 1 bd: 2 · 2 bd: 4 · In service since 1997
  • Tower Oaks Apartments 222 Louie St, Lake Charles 70601 152 low-income homes · For older adults (337) 439-6719
  • The Park at Winterhalter 1938A Winterhalter St, Lake Charles 70601 130 homes, 128 low-income · For families (337) 433-0621
  • Booker T Washington CTS 1481 3rd St, Lake Charles 70601 100 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of Lake Charles (337) 426-8981

See all 75 buildings in Calcasieu Parish Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Lake Charles

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Calcasieu Parish; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Lake Charles

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Lake Charles or Calcasieu Parish. The ones below are statewide in Louisiana: they work in Lake Charles the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Louisiana

  • HomeStart Assist

    Statewide in Louisiana

    Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage for first-time buyers with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months. Offered by Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • HomeStart Advantage

    Statewide in Louisiana

    Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months; you do not need to be a first-time buyer, but you cannot own another home at closing. Offered by Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Lake Charles

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Lake Charles, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Calcasieu Parish Housing Counseling Agency

    2001 Moeling St, Lake Charles · 4 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 4 more
    (337) 721-4030

  • Assist Agency - Jeff Davis Parish

    107 E. Nezpique St., Jennings · 33 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 3 more
    (337) 824-7800

  • Assist Agency

    225 N Avenue C, Crowley · 50 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (337) 788-7551

Every agency in Calcasieu Parish All counseling agencies in Louisiana

Help in Spanish near Lake Charles

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Lake Charles

HUD’s record names them for Lake Charles or Calcasieu Parish. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of Lake Charles Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (337) 426-8981
  • Calcasieu Parish Human Services Department Section 8 vouchers (337) 721-4030

4 other authorities have an office in Calcasieu Parish: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Calcasieu Parish

These cities are also in Calcasieu Parish. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Calcasieu Parish Housing in Louisiana

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Lake Charles, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Calcasieu Parish is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Lake Charles.

All guides
A father holds his baby and his young son by a white picket fence.

Questions

Housing questions about Lake Charles

Short answers with the numbers for Lake Charles and all of Calcasieu Parish. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Lake Charles?

The typical home value in Lake Charles is $214,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Calcasieu Parish it is $217,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Lake Charles?

Typical rent in Lake Charles is $1,109 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Calcasieu Parish is $1,231.

What is the FHA loan limit in Lake Charles?

Lake Charles uses the FHA limit for all of Calcasieu Parish (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Lake Charles?

The typical homeowner in Lake Charles pays $774 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.36% of the home’s value; in Calcasieu Parish, the rate is 0.45%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Lake Charles?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Calcasieu Parish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).