Rental numbers for the Lake Charles, LA metro
The typical home here runs -$425 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 3.3%. 1 of 5 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this metro are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 8.3%.
- Gross yield
- 8.2%
- typical home, Zillow
- Median ZIP yield
- 8.3%
- 5 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- -$425/mo
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $202,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $1,381/mo
- Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026
ZIP codes in the metro
15 with published figures
| 70601Lake Charles | $104,000 | $1,079 | 12.5% | 6.2% | -$24 | +8.5% |
| 70669Westlake | $188,000 | $1,849 | 11.8% | 7.1% | +$100 | n/a |
| 70615Lake Charles | $149,000 | $1,200* | 9.6% | 4.8% | -$213 | n/a |
| 70661Starks | $137,000 | $1,030* | 9.0% | 3.8% | -$309 | n/a |
| 70668Vinton | $147,000 | $1,060* | 8.6% | 3.9% | -$314 | n/a |
| 70607Lake Charles | $204,000 | $1,404 | 8.3% | 4.1% | -$401 | +20.6% |
| 70665Sulphur | $238,000 | $1,550* | 7.8% | 3.7% | -$544 | n/a |
| 70633Dequincy | $162,000 | $1,030* | 7.6% | 3.2% | -$444 | n/a |
| 70663Sulphur | $183,000 | $1,116 | 7.3% | 3.0% | -$532 | +8.2% |
| 70645Hackberry | $247,000 | $1,400* | 6.8% | 3.1% | -$695 | n/a |
| 70605Lake Charles | $272,000 | $1,469 | 6.5% | 2.8% | -$833 | +28.6% |
| 70611Lake Charles | $257,000 | $1,350* | 6.3% | 2.5% | -$855 | n/a |
| 70630Bell City | $208,000 | $1,050* | 6.1% | 2.1% | -$756 | n/a |
| 70647Iowa | $246,000 | $1,210* | 5.9% | 2.1% | -$887 | n/a |
| 70631Cameron | $234,000 | $1,130* | 5.8% | 1.9% | -$893 | n/a |
* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, where Zillow publishes no rent index. Conservative.
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- +2.4%
- Rent, 12 months
- +19.8%
- Rent minus price growth
- +17.4 pts
- Property tax
- 0.43%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $217,844 | $1,253 |
| Aug 2022 | $222,452 | $1,097 |
| Aug 2023 | $206,094 | $1,089 |
| Aug 2024 | $195,704 | $1,119 |
| Aug 2025 | $197,373 | $1,153 |
| Aug 2026 | $202,113 | $1,381 |
Counties
- Calcasieu Parish, LA8.3% median yield
- Cameron Parish, LAn/a median yield
Tools
Test a listing in the Lake Charles, LA area against today's rate.
Open the calculatorQuestions
- Is the Lake Charles, LA metro good for rental property?
- The typical home here runs -$425 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 3.3%. 1 of 5 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this metro are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 8.3%. Figures assume a typical home, 7.78% with 25% down and the default costs on the methodology page.
- Which ZIP codes in the Lake Charles, LA metro have the highest rental yield?
- 70601 (Lake Charles) at 12.5%, 70669 (Westlake) at 11.8%, 70607 (Lake Charles) at 8.3%, on Zillow value and rent. The full table above sorts by any column.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.