Colorado Springs CO vs Lake Charles LA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado · Population: 483,099

  • Median HH Income$83,198
  • Median Home Price$451,202
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+41.9%

Lake Charles, LA

Louisiana · Population: 81,679

  • Median HH Income$56,864
  • Median Home Price$204,081
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+29.4%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Colorado Springs
483,099
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
81,679
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Colorado Springs
N/A
Lake Charles
N/A
Median Age
Colorado Springs
35.6
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
36.2
Foreign Born
Colorado Springs
7.4%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
4.7%
White
Colorado Springs
72.3%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
47.3%
Black
Colorado Springs
5.8%
Lake Charles
42.8%
Lake Charles +
Asian
Colorado Springs
3.0%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
2.6%
Hispanic
Colorado Springs
18.7%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
4.7%
Spanish at Home
Colorado Springs
N/A
Lake Charles
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Colorado Springs
$83,198
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
$56,864
Per Capita Income
Colorado Springs
$44,893
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
$35,847
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Colorado Springs
$76,653
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
$55,297
Unemployment Rate
Colorado Springs
5.5%
Lake Charles
5.5%
Lake Charles +
Poverty Rate
Colorado Springs
9.3%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
23.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
Colorado Springs
41.9%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
29.4%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Colorado Springs
$451,202
Lake Charles
$204,081
Lake Charles +
Homeownership Rate
Colorado Springs
61.3%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
61.1%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
512
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
643
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
3234
Lake Charles
2824
Lake Charles +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
28.4%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
45.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.0%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
16.2%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Colorado Springs
18.0%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
19.7%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.9%
Lake Charles
9.6%
Lake Charles +
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
16.5%
Lake Charles
15.6%
Lake Charles +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
11.0%
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
18.0%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
49.0°F
Lake Charles
N/A
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
16.5 in
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
62.4 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
6.2 µg/m³
Colorado Springs +
Lake Charles
8.9 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Colorado Springs
75.0%
Lake Charles
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Colorado Springs
24.1 min
Lake Charles
19.0 min
Lake Charles +

Which City is Right for You?

Colorado Springs leads in median household income at $83,198, while lake Charles offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $204,081. On public safety, Colorado Springs is safer with a violent crime rate of 512 per 100,000 residents, compared to 643 in Lake Charles. Lake Charles has a lower unemployment rate at 5.5%, and Colorado Springs has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Colorado Springs scores better with a lower obesity rate of 28.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Colorado Springs & Lake Charles