Victoria and Lake Charles 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
Victoria
Lake Charles
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 15%
vs49 · Bottom 37%
Growth
21 · Bottom 10%
vs33 · Bottom 24%
Climate
73 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 15%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 19%
vs11 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 44%
vs95 · Top 47%
Access
89 · Top 27%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 38%
vs31 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Victoria | Lake Charles | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 98,554 | 244,027 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,236 | $66,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,858 | $35,427 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 57/sq mi | 81/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $208,800 | $207,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 | $1,081 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.9% | 73.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.0% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 63 | 660 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -67.2% | -26.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 44°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.4" | 59.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 37.6 | 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
Victoria
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Lake Charles
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Victoria
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Lake Charles
56
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Victoria, TX Metro Area · Lake Charles, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology