Lake Charles, LA · standard
ZIP Code 70601
Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 32,384
- 776/sq mi High-density area
- $49,992
- Median income Below-median income area
- $162,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 25.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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
- 31st 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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 70601 (Lake Charles, LA) rose +1.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 206.8 in 2023 to 210.0 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 70601 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, 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 average Louisiana ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,792. The poverty rate is 28.8%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $162,200 (8% below the average Louisiana ZIP) and median rent is $930; 58.9% of occupied homes 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 -. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Calcasieu Parish, so 70601 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
245 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
186 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
185 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
131 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
106 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 70601?
38.4
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
4.2%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$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
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
16,565housing units
16,565
Total Housing Units
12,517
Occupied Units
4,048
Vacant Units
2.43
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$162,200
Median Home Value
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 70605
Lake Charles (70605)
32,741 residents
- 70601
Lake Charles (70601)
32,384 residents
- 70611
Lake Charles (70611)
19,256 residents
- 70615
Lake Charles (70615)
14,335 residents
- 70669 10,131
Westlake (70669)
10,131 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 70601 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 70601 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 70611
Lake Charles (70611)
$101,844 median income
- 70605
Lake Charles (70605)
$86,015 median income
- 70669
Westlake (70669)
$69,106 median income
- 70601
Lake Charles (70601)
$49,992 median income
- 70615 $40,047
Lake Charles (70615)
$40,047 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 70601, both outside LA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (32,384 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Calcasieu Parish
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What parish is ZIP code 70601 in?
ZIP code 70601 (Lake Charles) is located in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. Calcasieu Parish 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 70601's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 70601 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Lake Charles, LA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.