Signals
Lake Charles
Moss Bluff
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs62 · Top 38%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
45 · Bottom 41%
vs78 · Top 16%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 8%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Charles | Moss Bluff | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,143 | 12,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,235 | $92,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,860 | $49,390 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,709/sq mi | 820/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $214,300 | $252,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,109 | $1,324 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.9% | 81.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.1% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.3% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 59.7" | 59.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 27.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 44.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 30 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.47 | 13.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.2% | 39.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 40.3% | 53.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.7% | 42.9% | 2024-25 school 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, tornado, inland flooding.
Moss Bluff
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, tornado, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake Charles
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Moss Bluff
68
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Charles, LA · Moss Bluff, LA · How this is calculated: methodology