Lake Charles, LA vs Shreveport, LA

Shreveport is moderately more affordable than Lake Charles, with a 7.1% lower cost of living index. Lake Charles scores 80 compared to 75 for Shreveport, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Lake Charles can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Lake Charles is $1,090/month compared to $980/month in Shreveport — a 11% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Shreveport is more affordable at $178,100 median vs $204,000.

Median household income in Lake Charles is $56,864 compared to $48,465 in Shreveport (+17.3%). While Lake Charles is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Lake Charles spend roughly 23% of their income on rent, less than the 24.3% in Shreveport.