Petrochemical corridor anchoring southwest Louisiana's economic identity
The Lake Charles metro's political lean tracks closely with its industrial base — energy-sector employment shapes voter priorities here, and the area has backed Republican presidential candidates by wide margins over the past two decades.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcasieu | 207K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 20.5% |
| Calcasieu | 197K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 20.5% |
| Calcasieu | 185K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 20.5% |
| Calcasieu | 184K | R+39.6 | 23,918 | 56,064 | 81,201 | 20.5% |
| Jefferson Davis | 32K | R+61.1 | 2,699 | 11,478 | 14,358 | 3.6% |
| Jefferson Davis | 31K | R+61.1 | 2,699 | 11,478 | 14,358 | 3.6% |
| Jefferson Davis | 31K | R+61.1 | 2,699 | 11,478 | 14,358 | 3.6% |
| Jefferson Davis | 31K | R+61.1 | 2,699 | 11,478 | 14,358 | 3.6% |
| 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, LA | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 71.2% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(9) | 22.4% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(13) | 2.8% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 2.3% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.9% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(2) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(6) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -6.0pp (vs national 4.5pp). A moderate religious balance between Catholic and Evangelical traditions.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.6% | 42.6% | — | — | |
| 26.6% | 41.0% | — | — | |
| 4.9% | 7.6% | — | — | |
| 4.4% | 6.9% | — | — | |
| 1.2% | 1.9% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.4% | 0.6% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 35.3% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Lake Charles, LA metro area? 928,067 residents across 12 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+40.0 | R+60.9 | 20.9pp |