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Moving to Lake Charles, Louisiana

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Lake Charles is located at 290km west of New Orleans. Set on both the Calcasieu River and the lake from which it takes its name, Lake Charles is a deep-water port and industrial center in the southwestern corner of the state. The industrial quality of the city tends to overshadow its other features. Visit the Imperial Calcasieu Museum and take a riding or walking tour of the Historic District, which features many fine old homes.

Population: 71,757. Estimated population in July 2024: 70,555 (-1.7% change)
Males: 34,177 (47.6%), Females: 37,580 (52.4%)

Zip codes: 70601, 70605, 70607, 70611, 70615.

Demographics

Median resident age: 35.3 years
Median household income: $30,774
Median house value: $72,100

Population by Race

Races in Lake Charles:

  • White Non-Hispanic (49.5%)
  • Black (46.8%)
  • Hispanic (1.4%)
  • Two or more races (1.1%)
  • American Indian (0.7%)

Ancestries: French (11.2%), United States (6.5%), English (5.6%), Irish (5.6%), German (5.4%), French Canadian (5.2%).

Elevation: 20 feet

Land area: 40.2 square miles

Map of Lake Charles, LA

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Lake Charles

  • High school or higher: 75.4%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.2%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 7.5%
  • Unemployed: 9.1%
  • Mean travel time to work: 16.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Lake Charles city

  • Never married: 30.0%
  • Now married: 47.0%
  • Separated: 3.4%
  • Widowed: 8.3%
  • Divorced: 11.3%

2.1% Foreign born (0.9% Asia, 0.7% Latin America, 0.4% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +214 (+0.3%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers in Lake Charles:

  • CHRISTUS ST PATRICK HOSPITAL (524 SOUTH RYAN STREET)
  • DUBUIS HOSPITAL OF LAKE CHARLES (524 SOUTH RYAN STREET)
  • EXTENDED CARE OF SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA (2837 ERNEST BLDG B)
  • LAKE CHARLES MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (1701 OAK PARK BLVD)
  • W O MOSS REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (1000 WALTERS STREET)
  • WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL (4200 NELSON ROAD)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Lake Charles:

  • CHENNAULT INTL (about 6 miles; LAKE CHARLES, LA; Abbreviation: CWF)
  • LAKE CHARLES REGIONAL (about 7 miles; LAKE CHARLES, LA; Abbreviation: LCH)
  • POLK AAF (about 57 miles; FORT POLK, LA; Abbreviation: POE)

Other public-use airports nearest to Lake Charles:

  • SOUTHLAND FIELD (about 13 miles; SULPHUR, LA; Abbreviation: L75)
  • DE QUINCY INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK (about 24 miles; DE QUINCY, LA; Abbreviation: 5R8)
  • WELSH (about 28 miles; WELSH, LA; Abbreviation: 6R1)

Amtrak station:
LAKE CHARLES (433 RAILROAD AVE.). Services: fully wheelchair accessible, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for taxi service.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Lake Charles:

  • MCNEESE STATE UNIVERSITY (Full-time enrollment: 6,460; Location: 4100 RYAN ST; Public; Website: www.mcneese.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
  • LOUISIANA TECHNICAL COLLEGE-SOWELA CAMPUS (Full-time enrollment: 1,054; Location: 3820 J BENNETT JOHNSTON AVE; Public; Website: www.sowela.tec.la.us)
  • DELTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY (Full-time enrollment: 308; Location: 517 BROAD ST; Private, for-profit; Website: www.deltatech-lc.com)
  • DEMMONS SCHOOL OF BEAUTY (Full-time enrollment: 96; Location: 1222 RYAN ST; Private, for-profit)
  • STAGE ONE-THE HAIR SCHOOL (Full-time enrollment: 54; Location: 209 W COLLEGE ST; Private, for-profit)
  • FUTURE BARBER COLLEGE (Location: 3941 RYAN ST STE G; Private, for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near Lake Charles:

  • LAMAR UNIVERSITY-BEAUMONT (about 65 miles; BEAUMONT, TX; Full-time enrollment: 8,888)
  • UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE (about 81 miles; LAFAYETTE, LA; Full-time enrollment: 13,673)
  • NORTHWESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA (about 106 miles; NATCHITOCHES, LA; Full-time enrollment: 7,710)
  • LEE COLLEGE (about 125 miles; BAYTOWN, TX; Full-time enrollment: 3,099)
  • ANGELINA COLLEGE (about 133 miles; LUFKIN, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,773)
  • SAN JACINTO COLLEGE-NORTH CAMPUS (about 139 miles; HOUSTON, TX; Full-time enrollment: 2,819)
  • UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON-CLEAR LAKE (about 139 miles; HOUSTON, TX; Full-time enrollment: 4,735)

Schools

Public high schools in Lake Charles:

  • ALFRED M. BARBE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,782; Location: 2200 WEST MCNEESE STREET; Grades: 08 – 12)
  • SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,094; Location: 880 S H JONES PARKWAY; Grades: 08 – 12)
  • LAGRANGE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,002; Location: 3420 LOUISIANA AVENUE; Grades: 08 – 12)
  • WASHINGTON/MARION MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 694; Location: 2802 PINEVIEW STREET; Grades: 08 – 12)
  • LAKE CHARLES/BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 461; Location: 1509 ENTERPRISE BOULEVARD; Grades: 08 – 12)

Private high schools in Lake Charles:

  • HAMILTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 494; Location: 1415 8TH ST; Grades: KG – 12)
  • LAKEWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 79; Location: 2520 WEST SALE RD; Grades: KG – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in Lake Charles:

  • S. J. WELSH MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,342; Location: 1500 WEST MCNEESE STREET; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • MOSS BLUFF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 932; Location: 215 SCHOOL STREET; Grades: PK – 05)
  • MOSS BLUFF MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 819; Location: 1104 RECREATION BOULEVARD; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • F. K. WHITE MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 714; Location: 1000 EAST MCNEESE STREET; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • GILLIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 678; Location: 916 TOPSY ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)
  • ST. JOHN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 662; Location: 5282 WEAVER ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)
  • A. A. NELSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 656; Location: 1001 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)
  • PRIEN LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 595; Location: 3741 NELSON ROAD; Grades: PK – 05)
  • GRAND LAKE HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 586; Location: 1039 HIGHWAY 384 GRAND LAKE; Grades: PK – 12)
  • OAK PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 517; Location: 2200 OAK PARK BOULEVARD; Grades: 06 – 08)

Private primary/middle schools in Lake Charles:

  • OUR LADY QUEEN OF HEAVEN SCH (Students: 775; Location: 3908 CREOLE STREET; Grades: PK – 8)
  • ST MARGARET SCHOOL (Students: 427; Location: 2510 ENTERPRISE BLVD; Grades: PK – 8)
  • ST LOUIS CATHOLIC HS (Students: 404; Location: 1620 BANK ST; Grades: 9 – 11)
  • BISHOP NOLAND EPISCOPAL DAY SC (Students: 369; Location: 715 KIRKMAN ST; Grades: PK – 8)
  • IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHEDRA (Students: 331; Location: 1536 RYAN; Grades: PK – 8)
  • GLAD TIDINGS PRE-SCHOOL (Students: 318; Location: 3400 TEXAS STREET; Grades: PK – KG)
  • HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC SCHOOL (Students: 217; Location: 785 SAM H JONES PARKWAY; Grades: PK – 7)
  • SACRED HEART BLESSED KATHARINE (Students: 141; Location: 1100 MILL ST; Grades: KG – 8)
  • FAITH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 67; Location: 6737 CORBINA RD; Grades: PK – 11)

Libraries

Library in Lake Charles:

  • CALCASIEU PARISH PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $4,952,906; Location: 301 WEST CLAUDE STREET; 342,893 books; 18,210 audio materials; 20,402 video materials; 895 serial

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