PlainZIP

Lake Charles, LA · standard

ZIP Code 70601

Calcasieu County, Louisiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

32,384
776/sq mi
$49,992
Median income
$162,200
Median home value
25.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lake Charles pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

14th pct
household income, US ZIPs
31th pct
home value, US ZIPs
776
people per sq mi
59%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 70601 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 70601 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lake Charles, Calcasieu County, Louisiana, with 32,384 residents across 41.7 square miles, a density of 776 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 70601 reports a modest median household income of $49,992 (16% below the Louisiana average), while per-capita income is $33,792. 28.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 8.8%. The typical home here is valued at $162,200 (8% below the state average); renters pay a median of $930 monthly, and 58.9% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.4, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 4 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 70601, plus 6 more within Calcasieu County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 70601

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lake Charles, LA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 70601.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 70601, Lake Charles, LA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

32,384

Population

41.7

Area (sq mi)

776

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 70601?

38.4

Median Age

49.5%

Male

50.5%

Female

4.2%

Foreign-Born

White 29.6%
African American 58.7%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.2%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$49,992

Median Household Income

-16% vs state

$33,792

Per Capita Income

28.8%

Poverty Rate

8.8%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 70601 ranks nationally

Lake Charles, LA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$49,992 14th percentile higher than 14% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 54.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

16,565

Total Housing Units

12,517

Occupied Units

4,048

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 58.9%
Renter 41.1%

$162,200

Median Home Value

-8% vs state

$930

Median Rent

1973

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+1.5%

YoY Change (2024)

210

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+110%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 70601 have increased 1.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +110% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.1% 195
2021 +6.5% 207
2022 +7.5% 223
2023 -7.2% 207
2024 +1.5% 210

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,281 business establishments in ZIP 70601, employing approximately 22,786 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,078,308,000.

1,281

Businesses

22,786

Employees

$1.1B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 245 19.1%
Health care and social assistance 186 14.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 185 14.4%
Accommodation and food services 131 10.2%
Other services (except public administration) 106 8.3%
Finance and insurance 94 7.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 67 5.2%
Construction 60 4.7%
Wholesale trade 50 3.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 44 3.4%
Information 29 2.3%
Transportation and warehousing 27 2.1%
Manufacturing 21 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 1.0%
Educational services 10 0.8%
Utilities 6 0.5%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 70601 vs 70669 →

ZIP 70601 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 70601 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 70601 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 70601 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
70669 Westlake, LA 10,131 4.0 mi
70615 Lake Charles, LA 14,335 5.9 mi
70611 Lake Charles, LA 19,256 8.3 mi
70605 Lake Charles, LA 32,741 7.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Calcasieu County

70605 standard
Lake Charles, LA
Pop: 32,741
70663 standard
Sulphur, LA
Pop: 28,150
70607 standard
Lake Charles, LA
Pop: 25,560
70611 standard
Lake Charles, LA
Pop: 19,256
70615 standard
Lake Charles, LA
Pop: 14,335
70665 standard
Sulphur, LA
Pop: 10,743

Related Areas

Calcasieu County Lake Charles, LA Louisiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 70601 in? ▼
ZIP code 70601 (Lake Charles) is located in Calcasieu County, Louisiana. Calcasieu County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/calcasieu-la.
What is the population of ZIP code 70601? ▼
ZIP code 70601 in Lake Charles, LA has a population of 32,384 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 70601? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 70601 is $49,992, which is 34% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 70601? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 70601 is $162,200, which is 42% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 70601? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 70601 is African American at 58.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 70601? ▼
ZIP code 70601 has 1,281 business establishments employing approximately 22,786 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 70601? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 70601 are: Retail trade (245), Health care and social assistance (186), Professional, scientific, and technical services (185). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 70601? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 70601 increased by 1.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 110%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 70601? ▼
In ZIP code 70601, 54.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 70601? ▼
In ZIP code 70601, approximately 58.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 41.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 70601? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 70601 is 28.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.