Signals
Lake Charles
New Bern
Growth
33 · Bottom 24%
vs66 · Top 25%
Climate
76 · Top 15%
vs75 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 3%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 47%
vs90 · Bottom 38%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs80 · Top 44%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 22%
vs37 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Charles | New Bern | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 244,027 | 124,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,700 | $64,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,427 | $36,387 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 81/sq mi | 82/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $207,800 | $220,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,081 | $1,079 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.8% | 70.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 660 | 663 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 5.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.4% | -1.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.7" | 53.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 41.0 | 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.
New Bern
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Lake Charles
56
Your Score
52
Area Score
New Bern
61
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Charles, LA Metro Area · New Bern, NC Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology