Muller's Department Store · Photo: CTtcg · CC BY-SA 4.0Within Louisiana, Lake Charles is healthier than 52% of graded towns
Lake Charles trails Louisiana on 6 of 32 measures CDC estimates, and leads on none.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Lake Charles. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Lake Charles
Lake Charles looks healthier next to Louisiana than next to the country
It’s healthier than 52% of the 161 Louisiana towns we grade, but 9% of towns nationwide. Much of Louisiana scores low on these measures. Health Grade ↓
Lake Charles is in the bottom 9% of U.S. towns for health
On the seven CDC estimates behind the Health Grade, Lake Charles is healthier than only 9% of U.S. towns. It earns a D on five of the seven. Health Grade ↓
Making ends meet is harder in Lake Charles
3 in 10 adults worry about having enough food (27.8%), vs 22.5% across Louisiana. Utility shut-off threats (16.2% vs 12.4%) and no reliable transportation (14.4% vs 11.3%) are higher too. 25.6% of adults receive SNAP, vs 19% statewide. Everyday needs ↓
More Lake Charles adults get no exercise
36% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 30.3% across Louisiana. There are 28 miles of trails across 24 parks and preserves in town, a place to start. Habits ↓
Lake Charles has three hospitals within its borders
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers are inside Lake Charles. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Louisiana figure falls outside Lake Charles’ likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
What’s behind Lake Charles’ grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Charles is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns, #79 of 161 in Louisiana. Physical distress holds the grade up (fewer adults with frequent physical distress than 31% of U.S. towns); obesity pulls it down (better than 3%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Lake Charles’ median household income is $59,235; among the 8,725 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($44K–$74K), it’s healthier than 11%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
25.6% of Lake Charles adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 19% across Louisiana.
Everyday habits, side by side with Louisiana
Share of adults, with the Louisiana figure marked.
28 miles of trails across 24 parks and preserves
Care in and near Lake Charles
3 hospitals and 2 community health centers in Lake Charles, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Lake Charles; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Out of every 100 Lake Charles adults…
Lake Charles runs above LA on 1 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Keeping up with care
Share of Lake Charles adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Louisiana.
How Lake Charles adults are doing
About the same as Louisiana on each measure.
2 in 5 Lake Charles adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Lake Charles and the towns around it
Lake Charles’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 3 graded towns around it.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | D | 45.6% | 16.2% | 18% | CDC place |
| Prien | B+ | 36.6% | 10.8% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Moss Bluff | C+ | 39.5% | 11.7% | 15% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Lake Charles adults live with a disability (Louisiana 38%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Lake Charles
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Lake Charles is better than Louisiana on 0 and worse on 6; on the rest, the Louisiana figure falls inside Lake Charles’ likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Lake Charles | LA | U.S. | vs LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 26.9%24.3–29.6 | 24.4% | 19.4% | About the same |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.3%13.7–17 | 15.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.7%17.7–21.9 | 19.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 45.6%40–51.5 | 40% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 16.2%14.4–18.2 | 15.2% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 44.5%40.9–48.1 | 42.6% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 37.8%34.1–41.6 | 38.3% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.5%26.6–32.4 | 29.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10.8%9.6–12.2 | 10.3% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 6.8%6.2–7.5 | 7.5% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Coronary heart disease | 7.3%6.6–8.1 | 7.5% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 8.5%7.7–9.4 | 8.5% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 4.7%4.4–5.1 | 4.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 18.5%15.7–21.8 | 18.1% | 12.3% | About the same |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 18%16–20.2 | 17.3% | 11.8% | About the same |
| No exercise outside work | 36%31.9–40.1 | 30.3% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 15.6%13.1–18.4 | 16.9% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 41.8%37–47.2 | 40.1% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 9.6%8.3–11 | 8.9% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 82%79–84.8 | 81.8% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 54.3%50.9–57.9 | 57.2% | 63.2% | About the same |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.2%83.3–86.9 | 86.4% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 78.1%75.6–80.4 | 78.8% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 67.5%63.2–72 | 66.3% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 78.8%72.9–84.5 | 79.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.1%22.8–29.6 | 26.6% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 37.7%33.1–42.4 | 36.6% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 30.3%26.7–34.1 | 28.6% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 27.8%25.1–30.5 | 22.5% | 15% | Worse |
| Worried about keeping housing | 20.4%18.2–22.8 | 16.8% | 12% | Worse |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 16.2%14.5–18 | 12.4% | 7.6% | Worse |
| Lack reliable transportation | 14.4%12.9–15.9 | 11.3% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 25.6%23.2–28 | 19% | 11.6% | Higher |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 40.7%36.8–44.7 | 38% | 30.1% | About the same |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 18.6%16.7–20.6 | 17.6% | 13.6% | About the same |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 19.5%17.7–21.5 | 18.4% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 7.5%6.7–8.3 | 8% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 8%7.4–8.6 | 6.7% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.5%10.5–12.7 | 10.3% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 6%5.6–6.5 | 5.1% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Louisiana figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Lake Charles
Is Lake Charles a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Lake Charles is healthier than 9% of U.S. towns: D for health, #79 of 161 in Louisiana. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 11%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Lake Charles?
CDC estimates 45.6% of adults have obesity, likely between 40% and 51.5%, against 40% across Louisiana and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Lake Charles?
Lake Charles Memorial Hospital in Lake Charles, 0.9 miles in a straight line from Lake Charles’ center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Lake Charles have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 9.6% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 8.3–11%), against 8.9% across Louisiana.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Lake Charles more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Lake Charles.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Louisiana figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.