Charleston, SC vs Lake Charles, LA Cost of Living
Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024
Lake Charles is significantly cheaper than Charleston — 15.0% lower overall cost of living.
To match an $80,000 salary in Charleston, you would need $68,000 in Lake Charles. Calculate your salary ↓
Category Breakdown
Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.
Salary Equivalency Calculator
Enter your current salary in Charleston to see what you'd need to earn in Lake Charles to maintain the same purchasing power.
Formula: salary × (85.9 ÷ 101) = salary × 0.8505. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.
Housing Market
Charleston, SC
- Median Home Price
- $425,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $1,950
- Housing Index
- 119.8
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 18.2×
Lake Charles, LA
- Median Home Price
- $190,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $1,150
- Housing Index
- 51.8
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 13.8×
Charleston has 56.8% lower housing costs compared to Lake Charles.
Income & Job Market
Charleston, SC
- Median Household Income
- $85,200
- Per Capita Income
- $48,600
- Unemployment Rate
- 3.4%
- Population
- 150,227
Lake Charles, LA
- Median Household Income
- $65,100
- Per Capita Income
- $37,100
- Unemployment Rate
- 4%
- Population
- 77,403
Affordability at a Glance
Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).
73% of income left after rent (median)
79% of income left after rent (median)
Related Comparisons
Charleston vs other cities
Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.
Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.
This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.