HousingPermits

Metro area in Louisiana · part of the Lake Charles-DeRidder, LA combined area

Lake Charles, LA

The Lake Charles metro area authorized 546 new housing units in 2025. Permits fell 62% between 2024 and 2025, the steepest decline among the 387 US metro areas. Recent building has outrun the boom: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 3.5% above the 2004–2006 average, the largest recovery by this measure among the 10 metro areas based in Louisiana.

06001,2001,8002,4002004: 1,436 units (1,292 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 78 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 994 units (808 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 795 units (711 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,278 units (783 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 413 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,033 units (910 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 79 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,220 units (835 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 335 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,066 units (956 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,284 units (722 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 437 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 666 units (641 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,217 units (791 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 324 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,391 units (708 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 596 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,135 units (887 single-family, 212 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,648 units (1,011 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 525 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,032 units (1,184 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 757 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,496 units (1,168 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 264 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,503 units (1,160 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 220 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,362 units (1,222 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,203 units (1,163 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,263 units (1,001 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,092 units (636 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 432 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,457 units (925 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 526 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 546 units (526 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252017 high · 2,0322025 low · 54608001,6002,4002004: 1,436 units (1,292 single-family, 66 in 2–4 unit, 78 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 994 units (808 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 161 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 795 units (711 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 64 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,278 units (783 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 413 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,033 units (910 single-family, 44 in 2–4 unit, 79 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,220 units (835 single-family, 50 in 2–4 unit, 335 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,066 units (956 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,284 units (722 single-family, 125 in 2–4 unit, 437 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 666 units (641 single-family, 25 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,217 units (791 single-family, 102 in 2–4 unit, 324 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,391 units (708 single-family, 87 in 2–4 unit, 596 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,135 units (887 single-family, 212 in 2–4 unit, 36 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,648 units (1,011 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 525 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 2,032 units (1,184 single-family, 91 in 2–4 unit, 757 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,496 units (1,168 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 264 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 1,503 units (1,160 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 220 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,362 units (1,222 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 72 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 1,203 units (1,163 single-family, 40 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,263 units (1,001 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 232 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 1,092 units (636 single-family, 24 in 2–4 unit, 432 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 1,457 units (925 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 526 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 546 units (526 single-family, 20 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252017 high · 2,032

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total was only 27% of the 2017 high of 2,032 units, the furthest below a series peak among the 10 metro areas based in Louisiana.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 10 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Lake Charles, with 2,733 units or 49% of the total, followed by Calcasieu Parish (unincorporated) with 1,702. Among the three largest, Lake Charles put 44% of its units in five-plus buildings, Calcasieu Parish (unincorporated) 0%.

  • Lake Charles49% (2,733 units)
  • Calcasieu Parish (unincorporated)31% (1,702 units)
  • Jefferson Davis Parish (unincorporated)8.1% (450 units)
  • Sulphur5.1% (281 units)
  • Cameron Parish2.3% (129 units)
  • Westlake town2% (111 units)
  • Iowa town1.5% (86 units)
  • DeQuincy0.6% (36 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Lake Charles, 76% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 21% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Cleveland, OH (21% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 9.4%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2017 (757), single-family houses in 2004 (1,292).

2021–202576.4%76%2.2%21.4%21%2004–200687.2%87%3.4%9.4%9%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202576.4%76%2.2%21.4%21%2004–200687.2%87%3.4%9.4%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 2 other metro areas, among them College Station, Florence, AL. Annual permits fell from 1,436 during the mid-2000s boom to 666 in 2012, a drop of 54%. The nearest bust profile in the West South Central states was Tulsa's (54%). Its quietest year came later, in 2025 (546 units).

Where in the metro

Calcasieu Parish accounted for 89% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Jefferson Davis Parish for 8.5%.

  • Calcasieu Parish89% (468 in 2025)
  • Jefferson Davis Parish8.5% (62 in 2025)
  • Cameron Parish2.3% (16 in 2025)

Relative to population

With 244,655 residents in July 2025, Lake Charles authorized 4.6 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, close to the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Salem (4.6) and Mankato (4.6).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Appleton, WI1,2644.036%
Lake Charles, LA5464.621%
Binghamton, NY4681.867%
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC3,07713.518%
Champaign-Urbana, IL9133.160%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Lake Charles beside Binghamton

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Louisiana. Counting rules.