Lake Charles is the most populous city in the southwest Louisiana. It is the second most populous city in the Acadiana (after Lafayette). It is the fifth most populous city in the U.S. state of Louisiana (after New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Lafayette). The actual population is about 85,000. The city was founded as Charleston, March 7, 1861. The name was changed to Lake Charles on March 16, 1867. The city was founded by and named for Charles Sallier.
Lake Charles, Louisiana | |
|---|---|
 Zephyr's at Downtown Lake Charles | |
| Nickname: The Lake Area | |
 Interactive map of Lake Charles | |
| Coordinates: 30°12′53″N 93°12′31″W / 30.21472°N 93.20861°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Louisiana |
| Parish | Calcasieu |
| Founded | March 7, 1861 as Charleston |
| Renamed | March 16, 1867 as Lake Charles |
| Founded by | Charles Sallier |
| Named for | Charles Sallier |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Nicholas E. "Nic" Hunter (R) |
| • City Council[1] | Members list |
| Area | |
| • City | 48.5 sq mi (125.5 km2) |
| • Land | 45.7 sq mi (118.2 km2) |
| • Water | 2.8 sq mi (7.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 15 ft (5 m) |
| Population | |
| • City | 84,872 |
| • Estimate (2024)[4] | 81,157 |
| • Rank | CA: 1st LA: 5th |
| • Density | 1,700/sq mi (680/km2) |
| • Urban | 162,501 |
| • Metro | 254,652 |
| Demonym | Lake Charlesian |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CST) |
| ZIP Codes | 70601, 70602, 70605, 70606, 70607, 70609, 70615, 70616, 70629 |
| Area Code | 337 |
| Primary airport | Lake Charles Regional Airport |
| Interstates |   |
| U.S. Route |   |
| Waterways | Calcasieu River |
| Website | www |
References
change- ↑ "City of Lake Charles". Cityoflakecharles.com. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
- ↑ "QuickFacts: Lake Charles city, Louisiana". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ↑ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
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