AccessibleUpdated SEP 1, 2026

Lake Charles, LA

ZIP 70601· Calcasieu Parish County· Lake Charles, LA· 31,843 residents· Median income $49,545· Buyer's Market

70601 · Lake Charles, LA has a HavenScore of 67 — affordability carries it — prices sit within reach of local incomes.

At the ZIP's typical value, the estimated monthly payment takes 20% of the local median income (Zillow, US Census ACS) and runs $235 a month less than the median rent (Zillow ZORI). The buyer/seller gauge leans firmly toward buyers, and has for 7 months. Typical values were flat over the last 90 days (Zillow ZHVI).

Saved ZIPs on Haven get an email when the score moves 5+ points as monthly data lands, when the market gauge flips between buyers and sellers, when its valuation read moves against the model value, or when distress jumps in a week.

Zillow ZHVI peaked at $219,108 in Oct 2020; the latest value is -53.0% from that peak, 69 months on. Since January 2019 it is -51.0%. The sharpest 12-month move was -21.3%, ending Dec 2023.

Median price
$103,062
-5.34% past 12 mo
Est. monthly payment
$821/ mo
20% down · 30-yr fixed · 6.71% · incl. tax + insurance
CompareShare card
69
HavenScore: higher than 99% of scored ZIPs.
▲ +1 / 90d#2/15 in LABuyer Score
Rank

Ranked #89 of 13,130 nationally · #47 of 6,756 mid-size ZIPs

Switch perspective

Buyer view active — Leans harder on affordability and downside risk.

Score inputs below recompute for this view

Affordability
89/100
Growth
46/100
Risk
48/100
Momentum
72/100
Livability
70/100
Score · trailing 12 mo
72 → 67
-5 points
30-day
0
90-day
+1
1-yr
-5

Snapshot

Numbers at a glance, with a year of history under each

Median price
$103,062
down-5.3% 12 mo
Typical home value across the middle tier of homes here — a smoothed Zillow index, steadier than individual sale prices.
Median price: higher than 2% of scored ZIPs.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is $103,062.
Median rent
$1,056
up+11.0% 12 mo
Typical monthly rent (Zillow ZORI, with HUD fair-market rent filling in for smaller markets).
Median rent: higher than 4% of scored ZIPs.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is $1,056.
Price-to-income
2.1×
Median home value divided by median household income. Under 4× has historically been comfortable; over 5× stretches most budgets.
Price-to-income: higher than 1% of scored ZIPs.
Est. monthly payment
$821
At the median value with 20% down, a 30-year fixed at 6.71%, plus property tax and insurance.
Est. monthly payment: higher than 2% of scored ZIPs.
Active listings
112
Homes listed for sale right now (Realtor.com). Rising inventory usually favors buyers; falling inventory favors sellers.
Active listings: higher than 80% of scored ZIPs.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is 112.
Days on market
108
How long the typical listing sits before going under contract. Shorter means a tighter market; longer means more room to negotiate.
Days on market: higher than 98% of scored ZIPs.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is 108.
Price cuts
+18.06%
Share of active listings that have lowered their asking price. Rising cuts usually precede softening values.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is +18.06%.
Median income
$49,545
Median household income here, from the latest US Census American Community Survey.
Population
31,843
Current resident estimate. Growth is a demand tailwind; decline is a structural risk.
Twelve-month trend shown as a sparkline; the newest value is 31,843.
Overvaluation
-40.40%
How far today's values sit above the long-run price trend. Positive means stretched; negative means discounted versus trend.
Vacancy
24.3%
Above-average. Share of housing units that are vacant in this ZIP, from the latest US Census ACS 5-year tables.
Owner-occupied
60%
of homes. Share of occupied housing units owned by their occupants (vs. rented), from the US Census ACS.
Denial rate
28.9%
Above-average. Share of mortgage applications denied in this ZIP, from the latest CFPB / FFIEC HMDA disclosures.
Lending activity
2,759
originations. Mortgage originations recorded in this ZIP in the most recent HMDA reporting year. Higher counts = more active lending market.
Net migration
-6.6%
net outflow. Net migration as a share of population, from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data. Positive = more people moving in than out.
Income inflow
$55k
average. Average gross income of households moving INTO this ZIP, from IRS SOI data. Higher = ZIP attracting higher-income households.

Place

What it is like to live here, and what could flood or burn

Place profile
WalkabilityBelow-average walkability
EPA index 9.1 of 20 · EPA Smart Location Database · Jun 2021 · above 65% of scored ZIPs
Transit accessNo transit data
EPA publishes no stop distance for most block groups
Typical commuteShorter commute than typical
17 minutes one way · US median ZIP 22 · US Census ACS · above 85% of scored ZIPs
Jobs nearbyDense employment nearby
1,844 jobs per sq mi · US Census LODES · above 82% of scored ZIPs
Physical riskRelatively High (FEMA)
FEMA National Risk Index composite · Dec 2025 release · above 19% of scored ZIPs

Bands are each source’s own · tick marks the national median ZIP · not blended into the score

Hazard ledger · FEMA National Risk Index

Tract-level rolled up to ZIP · not a property-level rating · no future-year projection · refreshed annually (Dec 2025 release) · county tick = median of 13 scored ZIPs in Calcasieu Parish

Everyday prices · BEA Regional Price Parities

Everyday prices in the Lake Charles metro run 14% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024).

Rents in the index run 48% below the US average.

$75,000 at US-average prices buys what $64,400 buys here.

Metro-level index, US = 100 · 2024 · the Lake Charles metro, not this ZIP alone

Housing cost burden · US Census ACS
Owners spending over 50% of income7%
US median ZIP 6%
Renters spending over 30% of income43%
US median ZIP 45%

What drives the score

Five pillars, each scored 0–100

Affordability

89/100

Growth momentum

46/100

Market risk

48/100

Momentum

72/100

Livability

70/100
Walkability
1–20 index · June 2021 vintage·EPA Smart Location Database
9.1
Transit access
Ranked against every scored ZIP·EPA Smart Location Database
—
Job density
Jobs per square mile, ranked against every scored ZIP·US Census LODES
1,844.2

See every input behind the pillars, with its value and source

Inside: Affordability: Price-to-income, Property tax rate, Median income · Growth momentum: 12-month price change, 12-month rent change, Population · Market risk: Overvaluation, Active listings, Price cuts · Momentum: Days on market, Buyer / seller gauge, Demand dial

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Market signals

Tailwinds and headwinds right now

Top 5 of 14 signals
Tailwinds2
  • Affordable vs. income
    2.1× income — below the national median
  • Potentially undervalued
    40% below historical price-to-income
Headwinds3
  • Declining prices
    -5.3% year-over-year
  • Population outflow
    -6.6% net — people leaving
  • Slow-moving market
    108 days on market — homes sitting longer
Buyer / seller gauge

Market conditions

Buyer's Market

Buyers hold the leverage. Concessions and below-asking offers are common.

-49
Strong buyerBalancedStrong seller
Trend
Stable
Gauge since Mar 2026Buyer's Market now

Cycle read. Softening: prices -5.3% over the trailing year, with the market leaning toward buyers.

Asking vs closed
Typical value (index)
$103,062
Zillow ZHVI · Sep 2026
Median sale price
$169,000
Redfin · Sep 2026
Sale-to-list
94.9%
Redfin · Sep 2026
Sold above list
5.8%
Redfin · Sep 2026

The Zillow figure is a smoothed index of typical value, not a list price; the Redfin figures are closed sales for the month shown.

Momentum check

What's changed in the last 90 days

🔒 Haven
Locked

Median price

——
🔒 Haven
Locked

Inventory

——
🔒 Haven
Locked

Days on market

——
🔒 Haven
Locked

Price cuts

——

Change vs. prior 90 days · arrow shows direction, not whether it’s good or bad

Pulse signals unlock with Haven, plus a one-line market interpretation.

The 90-day numbers behind each tile open with Haven

Trend

Where it's been

Peak
$219,108
Oct 2020
From peak
-53.0%
69 mo ago
Since Jan 2019
-51.0%
Worst 12 mo
-21.3%
to Dec 2023
Best 12 mo
+8.8%
since 2018

Zillow ZHVI peaked at $219,108 in Oct 2020; the latest value is -53.0% from that peak, 69 months on. Since January 2019 it is -51.0%. The sharpest 12-month move was -21.3%, ending Dec 2023.

Cycle position — prices vs the model’s value estimate and the payment’s share of income vs five years ago — opens with Pro

Appreciation by window

Zillow ZHVI · rank among scored ZIPs
WindowChangePer yearUS rankLouisiana rank
1 yeardown-5.3%-5.3%/yrHigher than 2% nationallyHigher than 7% in Louisiana
3 yearsdown-30.6%-11.4%/yrHigher than 1% nationallyHigher than 1% in Louisiana
5 yearsdown-44.9%-11.2%/yrHigher than 1% nationallyHigher than 1% in Louisiana
10 yearsdown-47.4%-6.2%/yrHigher than 1% nationallyHigher than 1% in Louisiana
Since 2016down-47.1%-5.9%/yr——

Starter homes vs the top tier

Zillow ZHVI tiers · Jul 2026
Bottom third (starter homes)
$54,655
down-30% 5Ydown-30% 10Y
Middle third
$103,062
down-40% 5Ydown-43% 10Y
Top third
$193,684
down-22% 5Ydown-22% 10Y

Starter homes here fell 30% in five years while top-tier homes fell 22% (Zillow ZHVI tiers) — the top of the market outpaced the bottom.

3-bedroom homes here run 64% above 2-bedrooms (Zillow ZHVI by bedroom); the LA median premium is 53%.

The historical reading — which months run highest and lowest here — opens with Haven

Rent, inventory, days on market, Zillow’s market heat, the % view and state and US reference lines open with Haven

Forecast

Where it's heading

The HavenScore Forecast Model (v1) projects this ZIP’s median value at 3-, 6-, and 12-month horizons, with 80% prediction intervals; Pro adds 24- and 36-month horizons.

Price Forecast

3-month projection · 80% range

🔒 Haven
—————
3-month shown  |  6 & 12 months with Haven →
3-month
$100,114
-2.9%
80% range $91.4K–$105.1K
6-month
🔒 Haven
12-month
🔒 Haven

Of the 3-month ranges we published since December 2025, 60% contained the actual price. Track record →

6- and 12-month projections, their 80% ranges, and what moves the forecast unlock with Haven.

Zillow's own published forecast has this ZIP's typical value fall 5.6% over the twelve months from July 2026 (Zillow Home Value Forecast).

Forecasts are the model’s projection, not a prediction. Actuals will differ.

See the 6- and 12-month price ranges for this ZIP and what moves the forecast

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Monthly cost

What you'd owe each month

Est. monthly payment
$821/ mo

20% down · 30-yr fixed · 6.71% · tax 0.56%

Principal$72
Interest$461
Property tax$48
Insurance$240
Rent vs buy
Median rent
$1,056
/ mo
Own (payment)
$821
/ mo
Monthly gap
$235owning is at or below rent today

Insurance uses the average homeowners premium insurers reported for this ZIP in 2022, $2,879 a year (Treasury Federal Insurance Office).

Payment share of income

20%of the ZIP’s median income at the median value ($821/mo against $49,545 · Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, US Census ACS). Your own marker appears once you set an income or price in the calculator below.

Price-to-income · ZIP vs state vs US

Median home value ÷ median household income · Zillow ZHVI, US Census ACS · under 4× has historically been comfortable

Run the numbers

Your price, rate, down payment and income

Like for like: a 3-bedroom here rents for about $1,280 a month (HUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2026) against a typical 3-bedroom value of $143k (Zillow ZHVI by bedroom) — a 10.8% gross rent yield.

Cost of ownership over time

Cumulative housing cost, interest paid, and equity built · 20% down · ZIP median income $49,545

See the 1-, 5-, and 30-year cost of owning here

Inside: Total housing cost · Interest paid · Principal paid · Equity built

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Equity assumes flat home value; real appreciation could push it higher · Rate 6.71%

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Comparable ZIPs

Same shape, lower entry

ZIPs the score groups near 70601 on Affordability and Growth — sorted by lowest median value. Each tile names what the lower price trades: commute (ACS), walkability band (EPA) and hazard rating (FEMA).

ZIP 71103
Shreveport
LA
62
  • Saves $71k
  • Similar commute
  • Similar walkability
  • Similar hazard risk
$31,990-1.34%
ZIP 71109
Shreveport
LA
62
  • Saves $64k
  • Similar commute
  • Similar walkability
  • Lower hazard risk
$39,465+0.02%
ZIP 71108
Shreveport
LA
62
  • Saves $55k
  • Similar commute
  • Similar walkability
  • Similar hazard risk
$47,781+1.13%
ZIP 71101
Shreveport
LA
59
  • Saves $55k
  • Similar commute
  • Similar walkability
  • Lower hazard risk
$48,448-2.46%

Sources

Every number, traced

Every metric above is sourced from public datasets, normalized against the national ZIP distribution. Home values and rents refresh monthly; demographics refresh annually.

Zillow Research
Home values, rents, inventory, transactions
Realtor.com
Inventory, days on market, price-cut share
Redfin
Sale prices, transaction volume
US Census ACS
Income, population, vacancy, cost burden
Freddie Mac PMMS
Current 30-year fixed mortgage rates
FHFA HPI
Long-term price trends
HUD Small Area FMR
Per-ZIP fair market rents (rural fallback)
BEA & IRS
Personal income growth, net migration
Lending & accessibility
Lending and neighborhood-access signals
Research the restNo crime or school rating here — why. The primary sources:GreatSchools→NCES School Search→FBI Crime Data Explorer→

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