PlainZIP

Lake Charles, LA · standard

ZIP Code 70605

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

32,741
291/sq mi
$86,015
Median income
$308,700
Median home value
41.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lake Charles pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 31%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 32%
home value, US ZIPs
291
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 70605 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 70605 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lake Charles, Calcasieu County, Louisiana, with 32,741 residents across 112.5 square miles, a density of 291 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 70605 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,015 (44% above the Louisiana average), while per-capita income is $47,735. Local economic indicators show a 9.2% poverty rate alongside 3.4% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $308,700 (74% above the state average) with median rent at $1,309 per month, and 72.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 41.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 35.3, and the average commute is 18 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Calcasieu County, so you can benchmark 70605 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 70605

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lake Charles, LA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 70605.

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 70605, 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

32,741

Population

112.5

Area (sq mi)

291

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 70605?

35.3

Median Age

47.5%

Male

52.5%

Female

6.0%

Foreign-Born

White 77.1%
African American 11.5%
Asian 3.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.4%

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?

$86,015

Median Household Income

+44% vs state

$47,735

Per Capita Income

9.2%

Poverty Rate

3.4%

Unemployment Rate

17.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 70605 ranks nationally

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

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

$86,015 Top 31% higher than 69% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 64.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 41.8%

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

What does housing look like?

18,224

Total Housing Units

15,758

Occupied Units

2,466

Vacant Units

2.54

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.3%
Renter 27.7%

$308,700

Median Home Value

+74% vs state

$1,309

Median Rent

1995

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

-4.4%

YoY Change (2024)

192

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+92%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 70605 have decreased 4.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +92% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.5% 174
2021 +5.5% 184
2022 +7.0% 197
2023 +2.1% 201
2024 -4.4% 192

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 961 business establishments in ZIP 70605, employing approximately 12,377 people with a combined annual payroll of $529,787,000.

961

Businesses

12,377

Employees

$529.8M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 190 19.8%
Retail trade 132 13.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 106 11.0%
Accommodation and food services 102 10.6%
Finance and insurance 80 8.3%
Construction 79 8.2%
Other services (except public administration) 61 6.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 47 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 45 4.7%
Transportation and warehousing 39 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 20 2.1%
Manufacturing 17 1.8%
Wholesale trade 16 1.7%
Educational services 11 1.1%
Information 6 0.6%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 5 0.5%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.3%

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 70605 vs 70669 →

ZIP 70605 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 70605 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 70605 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 70605 ranks the highest of 4 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 7.8 mi
70601 Lake Charles, LA 32,384 7.5 mi
70607 Lake Charles, LA 25,560 7.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Calcasieu County

70601 standard
Lake Charles, LA
Pop: 32,384
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 70605 in? ▼
ZIP code 70605 (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 70605? ▼
ZIP code 70605 in Lake Charles, LA has a population of 32,741 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 70605? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 70605 is $86,015, which is 13% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 70605? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 70605 is $308,700, which is 11% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 70605? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 70605 is White at 77.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 70605? ▼
ZIP code 70605 has 961 business establishments employing approximately 12,377 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 70605? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 70605 are: Health care and social assistance (190), Retail trade (132), Professional, scientific, and technical services (106). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 70605? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 70605 decreased by 4.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 92%. 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 70605? ▼
In ZIP code 70605, 64.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 41.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 70605? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 70605 is 17.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 70605? ▼
In ZIP code 70605, approximately 72.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 70605? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 70605 is 9.2% 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.