Located in southwest Louisiana, Lake Charles is a waterfront city surrounding Lake Charles and Prien Lake. Lake Charles houses McNeese State University and a variety of public schools in the city’s school district.
Two large hotels and casinos, Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino and L’Auberge Casino Resort, bring in an abundance of tourists to enjoy the casinos, bars, restaurants, and live music. Visit the Charpentier Historic District to admire historic buildings, streets, and museums. Downtown, you’ll find the Mardi Gras Museum which houses the largest display of Mardi Gras costumes in the South.
Enjoy a delicious variety of seafood and Cajun restaurants around town, as well as public beach access on Lake Charles. Upscale apartments and cozy condos are available for rent in this lively, lakefront city.
As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in Lake Charles, LA is $724 for a studio, $932 for one bedroom, $1,082 for two bedrooms, and $1,286 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Lake Charles has increased by 4.2% in the past year.
The cost of living in Lake Charles, LA is 13.7% lower than the national average. Generally, housing in Lake Charles is 35.2% less expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $724 - $1,286. You can expect to pay 4.9% less for groceries, 30.5% less for utilities, and 4.4% more for transportation.
If you love Mardi Gras, live somewhere that shares your passion! Explore other cities that host the biggest celebrations in the U.S.
Car-Dependent
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.
Somewhat Bikeable
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.
Public
Grades PK-5
671 Students
Lebleu Settlement Elementary School
Public
Grades PK-5
428 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
973 Students
A. A. Nelson Elementary School
Public
Grades PK-5
741 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
381 Students
Public
Grades 7-12
340 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
883 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
661 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
1,107 Students
Ray D. Molo Middle Magnet School
Public
Grades 6-8
325 Students
Public
Grades 7-12
340 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,991 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
1,216 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
907 Students
Washington/Marion Magnet High School
Public
Grades 9-12
587 Students
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† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.
