Lake Charles and Paducah 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 | Paducah | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 244,027 | 102,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,700 | $64,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,427 | $37,011 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 81/sq mi | 83/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $207,800 | $168,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,081 | $874 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.8% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.4% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 660 | 141 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.4% | -42.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.7" | 50.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 21.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 43.2 | 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.
Paducah
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, strong wind, drought.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Lake Charles, LA Metro Area · Paducah, KY-IL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology