Petrochemical coast where industrial employment shapes the ballot
The Lake Charles media market anchors Louisiana's southwestern corner, where refinery and chemical plant payrolls have historically anchored working-class Democratic loyalty that has since shifted sharply toward Republican margins over two decades.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcasieu | 207K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 18.6% |
| Calcasieu | 197K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 18.6% |
| Calcasieu | 185K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 18.6% |
| Calcasieu | 184K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 18.6% |
| Beauregard | 37K | R+71.3 | 2,192 | 13,504 | 15,874 | 3.6% |
| Beauregard | 36K | R+71.3 | 2,192 | 13,504 | 15,874 | 3.6% |
| Beauregard | 35K | R+71.3 | 2,192 | 13,504 | 15,874 | 3.6% |
| Beauregard | 33K | R+71.3 | 2,192 | 13,504 | 15,874 | 3.6% |
| Allen | 26K | R+61.0 | 1,661 | 7,003 | 8,751 | 2.0% |
| Allen | 26K | R+61.0 | 1,661 | 7,003 | 8,751 | 2.0% |
| Allen | 25K | R+61.0 | 1,661 | 7,003 | 8,751 | 2.0% |
| Allen | 22K | R+61.0 | 1,661 | 7,003 | 8,751 | 2.0% |
| Cameron | 10K | R+86.3 | 219 | 3,120 | 3,362 | 0.8% |
| Cameron | 8K | R+86.3 | 219 | 3,120 | 3,362 | 0.8% |
| Cameron | 7K | R+86.3 | 219 | 3,120 | 3,362 | 0.8% |
| Cameron | 5K | R+86.3 | 219 | 3,120 | 3,362 | 0.8% |
| Group | Lake Charles | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 71.3% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(9) | 21.8% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(13) | 3.2% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.3% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.9% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.5% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(6) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
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? 1,042,237 residents across 16 counties.
19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 14pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+15 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.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Senate | R+43.4 | R+62.9 | 19.5pp |