Lake Charles, LA
Commercial Real Estate Market Trends & Data

$390 Avg asking sale price
$438 Avg asking lease rate
95,914 SF Avg unit lease size
18,789 SF Avg building size for sale
7.08% Average cap rate

Lake Charles's Demographic Profile

Lake Charles has 32,051 households and a median income of $48,516, providing context for rent absorption and tenant demand across retail and multifamily assets. A -6% five-year population trend is a key signal for evaluating long-term demand in this market.

Key Demographic Metric Value
Population 77,689
# Households 32,051
Median age 38
Median household income $48,516
Avg household size 2.0
Renter-occupied housing units 15,306
5-year population change -6%

{{marketTabHeadings[activeMarketTab]}} Market Metrics Near Lake Charles, LA

↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Retail Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size
Lake Charles $474 6,762 SF
Westlake $248 1,010 SF
Moss Bluff $962 2,165 SF
Iowa $764 2,850 SF
Sulphur $1,193 3,023 SF
Nearby Multifamily Markets Avg Cost/SF Typical Size Cap Max
Lake Charles $72 94,379 SF 7.02%
West Orange $523 6,200 SF 7.30%
Orange $273 26,242 SF 7.30%
Beaumont $117 11,100 SF 8.12%
Lafayette $60 62,328 SF 7.00%

Commercial Properties For Sale in Lake Charles

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.
For Sale

806 17th st

Lake Charles, LA 70601

  • 0.27 AC Lot
  • 1 Commercial Lot
  • $82,000
For Sale

4226 Lake St

Lake Charles, LA 70605

  • 4 AC Lot
  • 1 Commercial Lot
  • $4,356,000
For Sale

Hwy 90

Lake Charles, LA 70615

  • 5,000 SF Flex Building
  • $960,000
For Sale

Pinnacle Oil & Gas

Sulphur, LA 70663

  • 3,023 SF Retail Building
  • 7.50% Cap Rate
  • $3,605,886
For Sale

Pinnacle Oil & Gas

Lake Charles, LA 70601

  • 2,000 SF Retail Building
  • 7.50% Cap Rate
  • $2,217,495
For Sale

1 Ramoin Street St

Sulphur, LA 70665

  • 1 AC Lot
  • 1 Commercial Lot
  • $54,900

Average Price For Sale

↻ Updated Monthly

Average Size For Lease

↻ Updated Monthly

Number of Listings

↻ Updated Monthly

Cap Rate

↻ Updated Monthly

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Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether Lake Charles pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets Avg Cost/SF Average Size
Lake Charles $390 18,789 SF
Westlake $248 1,010 SF
Moss Bluff $962 2,165 SF
Iowa $764 2,425 SF
Sulphur $467 9,774 SF

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places Lake Charles alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in Lake Charles or distributed across surrounding areas.

City Population # Households Age Median Household Income Avg Household Size Renter Occupied Housing Units Five Yr Pop Growth %
Lake Charles 77,689 32,051 38 $48,516 2 15,306 -6%
Westlake 4,327 1,773 39 $55,241 2 520 -8%
Moss Bluff 10,780 3,964 39 $90,554 3 810 -8%
Iowa 2,757 1,036 35 $61,667 3 386 -11%
Sulphur 20,431 8,062 39 $49,479 3 2,665 -5%

Disclaimer: The figures on this page reflect LoopNet's active commercial listings in Lake Charles, LA and update as inventory changes. Averages can shift between periods or vary across property types depending on the mix of listings available at a given time, so individual metrics may not reflect broader market trends. These figures are best used as directional benchmarks for early market evaluation. For comprehensive commercial real estate data and analytics, subscribe to CoStar.

FAQs About Commercial Investing in Lake Charles

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in Lake Charles
Is Lake Charles a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

Lake Charles offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in Lake Charles?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in Lake Charles. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in Lake Charles?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for Lake Charles. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does Lake Charles compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to Lake Charles. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for Lake Charles acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in Lake Charles, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.

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