PlainZIP

Lake Charles, LA · standard

ZIP Code 70615

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

14,335
113/sq mi
$40,047
Median income
$140,400
Median home value
14.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lake Charles pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

6th pct
household income, US ZIPs
23th pct
home value, US ZIPs
113
people per sq mi
62%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 70615 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 70615 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lake Charles, Calcasieu County, Louisiana, home to 14,335 residents across 127.1 square miles, a density of 113 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 70615 reports a modest median household income of $40,047 (33% below the Louisiana average), while per-capita income is $22,352. 28.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 13.1%. Housing costs here run $140,400 for a typical home value (21% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,099 a month; 61.6% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.5, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 70615, 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 70615

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lake Charles, LA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 70615.

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 70615, 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

14,335

Population

127.1

Area (sq mi)

113

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 70615?

38.5

Median Age

51.8%

Male

48.2%

Female

1.7%

Foreign-Born

White 32.9%
African American 59.3%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%

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?

$40,047

Median Household Income

-33% vs state

$22,352

Per Capita Income

28.6%

Poverty Rate

13.1%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 70615 ranks nationally

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

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

$40,047 6th percentile higher than 6% 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 64.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.3%

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

What does housing look like?

5,473

Total Housing Units

4,490

Occupied Units

983

Vacant Units

2.70

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 61.6%
Renter 38.4%

$140,400

Median Home Value

-21% vs state

$1,099

Median Rent

1980

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

+8.2%

YoY Change (2024)

217

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+117%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 70615 have increased 8.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +117% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 -2.6% 166
2020 +5.7% 176
2021 +6.0% 186
2022 +8.2% 201
2024 – 217

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 236 business establishments in ZIP 70615, employing approximately 3,135 people with a combined annual payroll of $178,476,000.

236

Businesses

3,135

Employees

$178.5M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 34 14.4%
Construction 29 12.3%
Wholesale trade 27 11.4%
Transportation and warehousing 27 11.4%
Other services (except public administration) 20 8.5%
Accommodation and food services 19 8.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 17 7.2%
Health care and social assistance 17 7.2%
Manufacturing 15 6.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 5.1%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 9 3.8%

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 70615 vs 70647 →

ZIP 70615 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 70615 ranks #3 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 70615 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 70615 ranks #4 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
70647 Iowa, LA 8,703 6.2 mi
70601 Lake Charles, LA 32,384 5.9 mi
70611 Lake Charles, LA 19,256 7.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Calcasieu County

70605 standard
Lake Charles, LA
Pop: 32,741
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
70665 standard
Sulphur, LA
Pop: 10,743

Related Areas

Calcasieu County Lake Charles, LA Louisiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 70615 in? ▼
ZIP code 70615 (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 70615? ▼
ZIP code 70615 in Lake Charles, LA has a population of 14,335 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 70615? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 70615 is $40,047, which is 48% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 70615? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 70615 is $140,400, which is 50% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 70615? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 70615 is African American at 59.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 70615? ▼
ZIP code 70615 has 236 business establishments employing approximately 3,135 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 70615? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 70615 are: Retail trade (34), Construction (29), Wholesale trade (27). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 70615? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 70615 increased by 8.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 117%. 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 70615? ▼
In ZIP code 70615, 64.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.3% 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 70615? ▼
In ZIP code 70615, approximately 61.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 38.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 70615? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 70615 is 28.6% 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.