Lake Charles, LA housing market
Typical home value
$207K
▲ 2.1% 1 yr
Typical rent
$1,329/mo
▲ 18.9% 1 yr
Gross rent yield
7.7%
U.S. 6.3%
5-year home value change
−3%
U.S. +20%
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home in Lake Charles is worth $206,813, up 2.1% over the past year and down 3% over five years.
- 2Typical rent is $1,329 a month (+18.9% YoY), a gross rent yield of 7.7% (below the Lake Charles, LA metro's 8.1%).
- 3With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on the typical home is about $1,137/mo, $192 less than typical rent.
- 4Zillow forecasts the Lake Charles, LA metro's home values to change −0.9% over the next 12 months.
Market temperature (Lake Charles, LA metro)
Seller's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 62/100, #25 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Lake Charles compares
| Measure | Lake Charles | Lake Charles, LA metro | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $206,813 | $201,631 | $366,157 |
| Home value, 1-yr change | +2.1% | +2.3% | +1.2% |
| Typical rent | $1,329 | $1,358 | $1,932 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +18.9% | +18.9% | +2.7% |
| Gross rent yield | 7.7% | 8.1% | 6.3% |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 13.0 | 12.4 | 15.8 |
| Mortgage P&I, typical home | $1,137 | $1,108 | $2,012 |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Lake Charles rental, pre-filled.
Rent vs buy in Lake Charles
Which costs less over the years you'll stay.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a $207K home.
Other cities in the Lake Charles, LA metro
City figures are Zillow's typical home value (ZHVI) and observed rent (ZORI). Gross yield is before expenses. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.