Sulphur receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sulphur
Lake Charles
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs37 · Bottom 28%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
11 · Bottom 7%
vs11 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 11%
vs31 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Sulphur | Lake Charles | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,775 | 81,143 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,760 | $59,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,939 | $35,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,849/sq mi | 1,709/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,900 | $214,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $994 | $1,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 60.9% | 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 | 16.9% | 29.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 23.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 34 | 245 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.7% | -48.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 13 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 18.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 36.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.46 | 12.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 33.9% | 26.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.2% | 40.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 50.8% | 65.7% | 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
Sulphur
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, tornado, inland flooding.
Lake Charles
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.
Sulphur
58
Your Score
54
Area Score
Lake Charles
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Sulphur, LA · Lake Charles, LA · How this is calculated: methodology