Bryan vs Lake Charles
The short version
- Lake Charles is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Bryan area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $214,300 in Lake Charles and $227,800 in Bryan.
- Bryan has more scorching days: 117 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 88.
- Bryan is growing faster: +9.6% since 2020 vs -2.7%.
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; Louisiana's top rate is 3%.
Side by side
| Bryan, TX | Lake Charles, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 91,996 | 82,676 |
| Growth since 2020 | +9.6% | -2.7% |
| People per square mile | 1,662 | 1,742 |
| Median age | 32.0 | 36.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30% | 29% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $59,289 | $59,235 |
| Median home value | $227,800 | $214,300 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 3.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,195 | $1,109 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.0 | 85.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 75.1 | 51.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,200 | $64,400 |
| Homeowners | 51% | 61% |
| Top state income tax | None | 3% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.2% | 10.13% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.5 | 17.0 |
| Work from home | 8% | 5% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5% | 6.6% |
| Poverty rate | 23% | 23.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 62° / 41° | 63° / 43° |
| July high / low | 95° / 75° | 92° / 76° |
| Precipitation per year | 42 in | 60 in |
| Snowfall per year | n/a | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 117 | 88 |
| Nights below freezing | 16 | 11 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 88.4 | 95.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 69% | 62% |
| Home prices, past year | -2.2% | +7.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.4% | +17.6% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Bryan: February to April and November to December. Lake Charles: February to April and November.
Full monthly tables: Bryan weather by month and Lake Charles weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,200 in Bryan and $64,400 in Lake Charles. Moving from Bryan to Lake Charles, you would need about $70,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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