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Muller's Department StoreMuller's Department Store · Photo: CTtcg · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Lake Charles

Lake Charles spent more per resident in 2022 than 72% of similar cities

Lake Charles’ city government spent $95.2 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $1,214 per resident. That is its newest year reported to the Census Bureau. Water and other utilities ($12.2 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

Planning & Zoning Commission

5:00 pm · 326 Pujo Street, City Council Chambers

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$95.2M
year to September 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,214
In 2022: $1,214, more than 72% of 137 similar cities
Long-term debt
$53.4M
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2025
835
full-time · 226 part-time · March payroll $4.5M · Census estimate
Typical tax bill
$774
0.36% of home value · LA 0.55%

What stands out about how Lake Charles is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends more than most similar citiesIn 2022: $1,214 per resident, more than 72% of 137 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer26% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Calcasieu Parish School District with 5 other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Lake Charles’ own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,214 per resident a year, or $3.33 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 22%.

Where the money comes from
Sales taxes 57%Utility sales 8%Fees & charges 8%Property taxes 6%Interest, fines & other 6%From the federal government 6%Other taxes & licenses 4%From the state 3%From other local governments 2%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $6.8 million; interest on debt $1.8 million; payments to other governments $47,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $116.1 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,214 per resident in 2022: more than 72% of them

Lake Charles’ day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,214 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 137 Louisiana cities that don’t run their own schools: the median was $859, and the middle half spent $339–$1,306. Lake Charles spent more than 72% of them.

Middle half of the group, $339–$1,306Median $859Lake Charles

Includes sewer and trash ($15.4 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
137

Louisiana cities that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Lake Charles itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

Lake Charles reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau (2023, 2024 are estimates), so there is no trend yet.

City staff
835

full-time in March 2025, up from 809 in 2022. Both are Census estimates.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $774 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.36% of the home’s value, vs 0.55% across Louisiana.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Moss Bluff$1,603
Prien$1,399
Louisiana$1,180
Lake Charles$774
$774
typical bill a year
0.36%
effective rate
$214,300
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Lake Charles’ rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Lake Charles’ Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Lake Charles →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Lake Charles

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityoflakecharles.com for Lake Charles’ current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Lake Charles yet.cityoflakecharles.com ↗
Who works for Lake Charles

One full-time city employee for every 94 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll (a Census estimate). Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (78,433).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Police194 + 21 pt
Fire170 + 2 pt
Parks & libraries82 + 121 pt
Sewer & trash131 + 16 pt
Administration & buildings76 + 33 pt
Water & other utilities52 + 5 pt
Roads & transportation39 + 6 pt
Courts, inspections & corrections24 + 2 pt
Other67 + 20 pt
835
full-time
226
part-time
$4.5M
payroll for March 2025
$53.7M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$60,500
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
189
sworn police officers
150
full-time firefighters
Estimates.Lake Charles didn’t report its staff figures; these are the Census Bureau’s estimates, so they aren’t compared with other towns.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Calcasieu Parish School District

Lake Charles’ K–12 school district, shared with DeQuincy, Iowa, Sulphur, Vinton, Westlake. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Lake Charles →
$17,252
per pupil · LA $15,623
29,282
students
$278.9 million
long-term debt

Of the $17,252 per pupil, $9,239 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 51%State 28%Federal 21%

Louisiana districts overall: 47% local, 34% state, 19% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who represents Lake Charles

From town hall to Washington

Lake Charles sends 4 representatives to the Louisiana House alone.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityoflakecharles.com ↗
  2. 2
    Louisiana HouseLake Charles is split between 4 districts
    Wilford CarterPhil TarverBrett GeymannRyan Bourriaque
  3. 3
    Louisiana SenateState senator
    Jeremy StineMark Abraham
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Jeff Landry
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseSplit between districts
    Clay HigginsMike Johnson
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Louisiana
    Bill CassidyJohn Kennedy
Find your state legislators by address ↗Find your House district by ZIP code ↗

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Lake Charles compares with the towns next door

Lake Charles spent $1,214 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Prien: unincorporated, no town budgetMoss Bluff: unincorporated, no town budgetPrienMoss BluffLake Charles
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Lake Charles$1,214$774

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Lake Charles’ government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityoflakecharles.com ↗

Questions about Lake Charles’ government

How much does Lake Charles spend per resident?

About $1,214 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,214 was more than 72% of 137 Louisiana cities that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Lake Charles?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $774 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.36% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.55% across Louisiana. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityoflakecharles.com.

Who runs Lake Charles’ government?

See cityoflakecharles.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Lake Charles yet.

How many people work for Lake Charles?

835 full-time and 226 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $4.5M (about $53.7M a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.

Who represents Lake Charles in the state legislature?

Lake Charles is split among 4 State House districts and 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The Louisiana Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Lake Charles?

The next posted meeting is Planning & Zoning Commission on Monday, November 9, at 5:00 pm in 326 Pujo Street, City Council Chambers, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Lake Charles’ government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →