Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Lake Charles, LA

    Is Lake Charles a good place to live?

    Watch Lake Charles

    Lake Charles ranks #7 of 18 Louisiana cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (54/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.9% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $204,000
    +6.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,090
    per month
    Household income
    $56,864
    median
    Unemployment
    5.5%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Lake Charles

    The median home value in Lake Charles is $204,000 and median rent is $1,090 a month, against a median household income of $56,864. Homes cost about 3.6× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Lake Charles crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Louisiana the 2025 rate was 465 violent and 1,859 property crimes per 100,000 people — #7 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Lake Charles, LA

    Lake Charles has about 81,679 residents, 5.5% unemployment and 18% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Lake Charles with

    Lake Charles vs New OrleansLake Charles vs Baton RougeLake Charles vs ShreveportLake Charles vs MetairieLake Charles vs LafayetteLake Charles vs KennerLake Charles vs Bossier CityLake Charles vs Monroe

    More: Where to move in Louisiana · Best counties in Louisiana

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report