Lake Charles, LA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Lake Charles, LA Summary
Cost of living in Lake Charles research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Lake Charles is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Louisiana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Lake Charles is 90, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Lake Charles is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Lake Charles ranks as the #35 cheapest in Louisiana out of 106.
Lake Charles ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Lake Charles is $202,582.
The median income in Lake Charles is $56,864.
Table Of Contents
Lake Charles's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Lake Charles, LA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lake Charles has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Louisiana, Lake Charles has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Louisiana's index of 90.
The standard of living in Lake Charles ranks as #35 most affordable out of the 106 places we measured in Louisiana. By definition, that implies Lake Charles ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Pelican State.
For more reading on life in Lake Charles, check out:
In Louisiana
In America
Lake Charles Cost Of Living Vs. Louisiana
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lake Charles. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Lake Charles is 95.
The Groceries index in Lake Charles is 96.
The Health index in Lake Charles is 101.
The Housing index in Lake Charles is 87.
The Transportation index in Lake Charles is 108.
The Utilities index in Lake Charles is 70.
| Living Expense | Lake Charles | Louisiana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 90 | 100 | |
| Services | 95 | 94 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 93 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 100 | 100 | |
| Housing | 87 | 80 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 108 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 70 | 83 | 100 | |
Lake Charles, LA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Louisiana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Lake Charles is $202,582.
The Median Rent in Lake Charles is $1,090.
The Median Income in Lake Charles is $56,864.
The Home Value To Income in Lake Charles is 3.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Lake Charles is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Lake Charles | Louisiana | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $202,582 | $209,929 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,090 | $1,038 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $56,864 | $60,023 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.6x | 3.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Lake Charles, LA Costs By Category
Detailed Lake Charles Services Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.16 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $8.8 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $13.11 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.06 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $36.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed Lake Charles Groceries Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.2 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.4 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.49 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.35 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.35 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.97 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.55 | $3.7 |
Detailed Lake Charles Health Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $122.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $140.61 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $115.15 | $113.29 |
Detailed Lake Charles Transportation Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.08 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $50.28 | $59.92 |
Detailed Lake Charles Utilities Costs Vs. Louisiana
| Item | Lake Charles | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $127.9 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.9 | $192.25 |
Lake Charles SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lake Charles
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Lake Charles. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sulphur, LA has a cost of living index of 90, 1.0x Lake Charles.
Orange, TX has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Lake Charles.
Nederland, TX has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Lake Charles.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Lake Charles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sulphur, LA | 21,004 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Orange, TX | 19,178 | 91 | 1.0x |
| Nederland, TX | 18,475 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Groves, TX | 17,021 | 93 | 1.0x |
| Port Neches, TX | 13,627 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Moss Bluff, LA | 11,451 | 96 | 1.1x |
| DeRidder, LA | 9,812 | 90 | 1.0x |
| Vidor, TX | 9,738 | 87 | 1.0x |
| Jennings, LA | 9,679 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Prien, LA | 8,248 | 109 | 1.2x |
