Lake Charles and Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Charles | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 244,027 | 202,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,700 | $64,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,427 | $33,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 81/sq mi | 88/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $207,800 | $189,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,081 | $1,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.8% | 77.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 19.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 660 | 524 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.4% | -18.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lake Charles
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Lake Charles, LA Metro Area · Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology