Rent by ZIP code in Lake Charles
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70605 | Calcasieu Parish | $1,438 | +13% |
| 70607 | Calcasieu Parish | $1,367 | +7% |
| 70611 | Calcasieu Parish | $1,181 | -7% |
| 70601 | Calcasieu Parish | $1,039 | -18% |
Rent by bedroom count in Lake Charles
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Calcasieu Parish. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $935 | +1.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $941 | +1.4% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,231 | +1.2% |
| 3 bedroom | $1,467 | +0.5% |
| 4 bedroom | $1,713 | +6.3% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Lake Charles?
Typical rent across Calcasieu Parish is $1,356 as of September 2026. That is up 19.2% from a year earlier and up 8.4% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Calcasieu Parish | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,202 | +6.3% |
| 2022 | $1,080 | -10.1% |
| 2023 | $1,098 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $1,114 | +1.4% |
| 2025 | $1,186 | +6.4% |
| 2026 (through September) | $1,356 | +14.4% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Lake Charles rent questions
- What is the average rent in Lake Charles, LA?
- Typical asking rent in Lake Charles is $1,274 a month as of September 2026, across 4 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,039 to $1,438.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Lake Charles?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Calcasieu Parish is $1,231 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $941 and a three bedroom is $1,467. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Lake Charles?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Calcasieu Parish is $1,356 as of September 2026, up 19.2% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Lake Charles?
- ZIP 70601 has the lowest typical asking rent in Lake Charles at $1,039 a month, compared with $1,274 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Lake Charles?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Lake Charles rent of $1,274, that is about $3,822 a month, or $45,864 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Lake Charles sits in the Lake Charles, LA metro area.