Lake Charles
Safe Republican — shifted 4.0pp toward Republicans in 2024 — 271K residents — 4 counties
| Group | % |
|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 67.0% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(13) | 5.1% |
▶Black / African American(9) | 21.2% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.3% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(6) | 0.4% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.4% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(1) | 0.1% |
Multiracial / Other | 5.0% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents |
|---|---|---|
| Evangelical Protestant | 30.7% | 48.4% |
| Catholic | 22.2% | 35.0% |
| Black Protestant | 5.5% | 8.7% |
| Mainline Protestant | 4.0% | 6.2% |
| Other | 1.1% | 1.7% |
| LDS (Mormon) | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Non-religious | 36.6% | — |
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Trump+47.4 |
| 2020 | Trump+43.4 |
| 2016 | Trump+40.6 |
| 2012 | Romney+35.3 |
| 2008 | McCain+30.9 |
| 2004 | Bush+20.8 |
| 2000 | Bush+9.5 |
| 1996 | Clinton+14.3 |
| 1992 | Clinton+12.2 |
Lake Charles is a media market that has a population of 271,256. In the 2024 presidential election, it voted Republican with a margin of R+47.4. Akashic Edge tracks 40 presidential elections here, dating back to 1868.
| Year | Dem % | Rep % | Margin | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 25.6% | 73.0% | R+47.4 | R+4.0 |
| 2020 | 27.4% | 70.8% | R+43.4 | R+2.7 |
| 2016 | 27.8% | 68.5% | R+40.6 | R+5.3 |
| 2012 | 31.4% | 66.7% | R+35.3 | R+4.5 |
| 2008 | 33.6% | 64.5% | R+30.9 | R+10.1 |
| 2004 | 39.1% | 59.8% | R+20.8 | R+11.3 |
| 2000 | 44.0% | 53.5% | R+9.5 | R+23.9 |
| 1996 | 50.6% | 36.3% | D+14.3 | D+2.1 |
| 1992 | 47.8% | 35.5% | D+12.2 | D+7.1 |
| 1988 | 52.1% | 47.0% | D+5.1 | D+11.3 |
| 1984 | 46.6% | 52.7% | R+6.2 | R+19.2 |
| 1980 | 55.2% | 42.1% | D+13.1 | R+19.4 |
| 1976 | 65.1% | 32.6% | D+32.5 | D+58.0 |
| 1972 | 34.0% | 59.5% | R+25.5 | R+35.5 |
| 1968 | 30.5% | 20.4% | D+10.1 | R+3.8 |
| 1964 | 56.9% | 43.1% | D+13.9 | R+20.9 |
| 1960 | 62.9% | 28.1% | D+34.8 | D+39.7 |
| 1956 | 46.2% | 51.1% | R+4.9 | R+26.1 |
| 1952 | 60.6% | 39.4% | D+21.2 | R+22.0 |
| 1948 | 56.6% | 13.4% | D+43.2 | — |
What defines Lake Charles?
Lake Charles has been trending Republican — 12pp redder over the last 4 presidential cycles.
Constituent Counties
Similar media markets
Counties in Lake Charles
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcasieu | 207K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 74.4% |
| Beauregard | 37K | R+71.3 | 2,192 | 13,504 | 15,874 | 14.5% |
| Allen | 22K | R+61.0 | 1,661 | 7,003 | 8,751 | 8.0% |
| Cameron | 5K | R+86.3 | 219 | 3,120 | 3,362 | 3.1% |
Ask the Historian
Key Insights
- Has voted Republican in the last 5 presidential elections
- Latest election (2024) was a Republican landslide with a 47.4% margin
- Shifted 12.0 points toward Republicans over the last 4 elections
Who Lives Here
| Group | Lake Charles | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 67.0% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(9) | 21.2% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(13) | 5.1% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 5.0% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.3% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(6) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander(1) | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Religious Adherents
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -17.9pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30.7% | 48.4% | — | — | |
| 22.2% | 35.0% | — | — | |
| 5.5% | 8.7% | — | — | |
| 4.0% | 6.2% | — | — | |
| 1.1% | 1.7% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.2% | 0.3% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 36.6% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Lake Charles media market? 271,256 residents across 4 counties.
Demographics
23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 10pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+9 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
Turnout in Lake Charles
How competitive is Lake Charles?
Do voters in Lake Charles split their tickets?
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Senate | R+43.4 | R+62.9 | 19.5pp |