Best Places to Live in Lake Charles, Louisiana

With a nickname like “Louisiana’s Playground,” you know life in Lake Charles promises to be fun. This city in Louisiana’s coastal Cajun country delivers big on the entertainment and that famous laid-back southern Louisiana vibe. That combination is part of the charm that draws people to live here.

So if you love Louisiana culture, but don’t want the big crowds and high-priced homes found near New Orleans or Lafayette, spin on over to Lake Charles. Get to know this Acadiana town and explore a few neighborhoods.

About Lake Charles

This part of southwest Louisiana is known as Lake Country because of this predominant feature. Besides namesake Lake Charles, there are Calcasieu, Black, Moss, and Prien Lakes, plus dozens of smaller ones. The town of Lake Charles developed on the shores of the Calcasieu River and some of its lakes. A deepwater ship canal connects the region to the Gulf of Mexico.

Lake Charles is part of the 22-parish Acadiana region, linked through a unique cultural lifestyle found uniquely in southern Louisiana. Residents celebrate these Creole traditions in food, language, music, and art.

But disabuse the notion that this is a small backwater town surrounded by swamp. Lake Charles is Louisiana’s fifth-largest city and the parish seat. It’s long been an important educational, tourism, and manufacturing regional center.

Interstate 10 cuts right through Lake Charles, making it convenient to reach. As it’s almost halfway between Houston, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana, it feels Cajun with a little bit of Tex-Mex mixed in.

Uniquely, an inland white-sand beach runs along the shores of its freshwater lake. It’s here legend says explorer and pirate Jean Lafitte stashed his treasure. Lake Charles celebrates the event with the Louisiana Pirate Festival. Buccaneers re-enact the pirate’s city takeover, complete with the city mayor walking the plank.

This festival is only a tiny taste of the fun waiting in Lake Charles. When we say life is “lively” here, we mean it. Gamble 24/7 in Las Vegas-style casinos on both sides of I-10. Pick from any of the three; combined they have 3,200 slot machines and 142 game tables. Take part in the local Mardi Gras, nearly as raucous as New Orleans, with 60 krewes hosting events for a month before the Fat Tuesday main event. Party hard at the annual Cajun French Music and Food Festival with near-continuous music on both days. Those are just the tip of the crawfish, as it seems there’s an event every weekend somewhere in or near Lake Charles.

When residents tire of gambling or partying at the street fair, Lake Charles has laidback pursuits, too. Head out into the Louisiana Outback to hunt or fish around the abundant waters. Enjoy a round of golf on one of the six local courses. Mallard Golf Club was inspired by Scotland’s natural links. Or, hit up a nightclub for live music.

While life is fun in Lake Charles, not everything is jambalaya. No city can be perfect. For one, Lake Country’s water isn’t just on the ground; some days, the humidity feels so thick you could swim in the air. It’s the second-most humid city in the nation, tied in second with Port Arthur, Texas, and Astoria, Oregon. The average relative humidity is 90% in the morning. That leads to some higher rainfall totals and some sticky feeling days.

The low landscape and ample waterways make Lake Charles vulnerable to tropical storms. If you visit Lake Charles now, you may still see signs of recovery from Hurricane Laura in 2020. This storm recorded one-minute sustained wind speeds of 150 mph, devastating the landscape around Lake Charles. Hurricane Delta hammered a second blow a few weeks later.

But, if you want to live near the waterfront without a huge price tag and like southern Louisiana’s lively people, don’t let the weather dissuade you. Lake Charles might be the perfect place for you to move to in Louisiana as long as you account for the risk. The city is all about preserving its neighborhoods, including the ones below.

Top Lake Charles Neighborhoods

Charpentier Historic District

The family-friendly vibe appeals to neighborhood residents because it feels safe yet fun. For starters, residents take the sidewalk-lined streets to downtown Lake Charles, its shops, and dining venues. Or, head out to the lakefront and soak in the sunshine while getting exercise from Bord Du Lac Park.

Along the riverfront, Port Wonder is home to the Children’s Museum of Lake Charles, a science center, and nature center. Local kids love to play at Millennium Park and its splash pad in the summer or to cool off along the beautiful sandy beach. Day schools and churches are nestled among the historic, columned houses.

Neighbors in Charpentier are all about community. Take part in Halloween trick-or-treating, or participate in the porch concert series. They love their community so much that there is a 50-year resilience plan that hopes to preserve its character in the future.

The homes in the 40 square blocks include beautiful residences dating back to the late 1800s. The architecture is heavenly Victorian, and the live oak lane streets add to the southern charm.

Margaret Place Historic District

If you haven’t yet been to Lake Charles, drive down Shell Beach Drive on the southern shore of Lake Charles. You will be struck by the beautiful homes and gardens that line this roadway. This is part of the Margaret Place Historic District and a continuation of the Old Spanish Trail used by drivers before the bridge was constructed over the river.

Slightly south of downtown, Margaret Place is close enough to Millennium Park if you want to play lakeside, but it has two neighborhood parks inside the community. Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital is on the south side for easy access to healthcare.

This is purely a residential neighborhood, with all homes being privately owned. Find Cape Cod, bungalow, and craftsman styles in Margaret Place, with more elaborate shorefront homes. Some of the waterfront homes have matching boathouses. These are some of the area’s most historic and luxurious homes.

Walnut Grove

The new development of Walnut Grove is along Contraband Bayou just off Sallier St. Developed on 60 acres in the historic heart of Lake Charles, the master plan calls for the community to blend residential, commercial, and public spaces in such a way that it feels organic and like it’s always been there.

Walnut Grove is built around a town square, parks, and open walkways. The developers want you to be able to walk to your favorite shop or restaurant from your home. For them, it’s all about creating a sense of community.

Homes highlight traditional southern Louisiana architecture with custom design details that don’t skip on modern amenities. There is an HOA association and community covenants.

Graywood

The picturesque southern French Country charm will catch your eye in the master-planned Graywood community. This development has several neighborhood sections designed around particular amenities, like the Gray Plantation Country Club, so some neighborhoods have golf course views.

Join the sports club to access ten tennis courts, a modern fitness center, a children’s area, saunas, and pools. Or, rent the clubhouse facilities for a party. If you become a country club member, you’ll be pleased to know the 18-hole course has been rated the third-best place to play in Louisiana by Golf Digest.

Two entrances make it easy to get around Lake Charles. The beautifully landscaped boulevards are lined with sidewalks used by walkers, cyclists, and golf carts to get around. For families, local schools are convenient to the neighborhood.

Homes have unique details like copper, wide front porches, and wrought iron detail work. As it’s still in development, you can find vacant lots to build a custom home. HOA membership varies by neighborhood.

Canal Place

French country styling is trendy in Lake Charles, and it’s no different in southern Lake Charles. Canal Place exemplifies the style, with the streets named after the New Orleans French Quarter and designed to old-world features with modern living.

The neighborhood park is a safe place to let your children pay or to walk your pets. Bayou Contraband is at the end of Canal St. Find pharmacies, fast food, and some local shops along Lake St.

Canal Place does have a homeowner’s association that runs events like an annual block party. Some homes run along a tract of conserved land that will not be developed.

Terre Sainte

Another master-planned development of Lake Charles, Terre Sainte has three different lot types with varied home designs. Terre Sainte was inspired by New Orleans’ Audubon Park, and so it has a central 1.4-acre park as a gathering place for neighbors to meet and make memories. Shaded sidewalks are throughout for a walkable community. Some homes are along the Contraband Bayou for scenic views of this waterway.

Terre Sainte’s architectural styles are modeled after the Margaret Place Historic District. You’ll find columned front porches and ornate details along railings and fences.

Moss Bluff

Technically independent from Lake Charles, Moss Bluff still feels part of the city and is considered a suburb. Home to over 12,500 residents, this area is north of town along the Calcasieu River and Highway 171.

Moss Bluff is more residential, but a Walmart market, fast food chains, and a few service providers are along Theriot Rd and Highway 171, so you don’t have to cross the river if you don’t want to. Get outdoors at Sam Houston Jones State Park, a few minutes west of Moss Bluff.

Moss Bluff is a good place to look if you want a new construction home. The lots here tend to be slightly larger, but you still have an easy commute into town.

Living in Lake Charles

Make life what you want by living in exciting Lake Charles. Life here is about the people you meet. Enjoy a friendly community where the neighbors still know your name and say hello when you walk by. While very modern, Lake Charles embraces its Cajun flair through French-inspired home designs and heritage festivals. It all makes for an enchanting place to call home in low-cost Louisiana.