Relocation profile · Federal data
Lake Charles, LA
BEA RPP 85.9 ranks #16 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).
- 85.9
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,217
- 2BR rent / mo
- $58,097
- Median salary
- 45.8
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Lake Charles ranks #275 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (45.8/100), with its strongest marks in cost of living and climate.
- #275
- of 387 US metros · Near median
- 4,597,740
- metro-area population
- 410
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 1,330
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: job market (9/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Lake Charles ranks #275 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 85.9 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,217/mo, median salary $58,097; LiveAbility Score 45.8/100, strongest in cost of living and climate.
Signature: BEA RPP 85.9 ranks #16 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 85.9 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,217/mo.
LiveAbility 45.8/100 puts Lake Charles in the bottom third (#275 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the Lake Charles area is 93,170.
Lake Charles vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
46 Top 71% higher than 29% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
Lake Charles housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the Lake Charles MSA; housing RPP 51.8 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,217/mo.
Lake Charles wages and employment
Lake Charles posts 93,170 total employment with median salary $58,097 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Cashiers | $27,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | $28,780 |
| Registered Nurses | $90,690 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $22,500 |
| General and Operations Managers | $101,370 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the Lake Charles area from NCES.
Childcare Costs
State-average childcare costs for the Lake Charles area (DOL data).
Life Score Breakdown
Lake Charles's composite Life Score is 61.4/100 (C), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →Lake Charles ranks #275 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 45.8/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →
Lake Charles - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Cost of living
Cost of living
96 /100
- Climate
Climate
78 /100
- Housing
Housing
62 /100
- Low hazard
Low hazard
48 /100
- Safety 27
Safety
27 /100
- Air quality 25
Air quality
25 /100
- Schools 10
Schools
10 /100
- Job market 9
Job market
9 /100
What this shows Lake Charles's strongest dimensions are cost of living and climate; its weakest among scored dims is job market at 9/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.
Compare Lake Charles to
Metros near Lake Charles on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Lake Charles on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Lake Charles cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Lake Charles wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about Lake Charles?
Lake Charles runs a $58,097 median salary at a 85.9 cost index, ranking #275 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what Lake Charles's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put Lake Charles head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Lake Charles
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.