HUD FY2026 · ACS 2019–2023 generous below-median

Lower-half FMR gap - Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area

Displayed gap in Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area: +12.1% (HUD $1,217 vs ACS $1,086) · counties in FMR rows: Calcasieu Parish, Cameron Parish .

FMR gap dispatch plate

CBSA 29340 · Lake Charles, LA -12.1% shortfall

GAP-GENEROUS · FMR-BELOW · SPREAD-PLUS · PHOTO-FINISH · COUNTY-SPARSE · BOOK-FULL

  • GAP-GENEROUS 12.1% surplus
  • FMR-BELOW #155/396 · P39
  • SPREAD-PLUS +$131
  • PHOTO-FINISH Daphne-Fairhope-Fo
  • COUNTY-SPARSE 2 counties
  • BOOK-FULL HUD+ACS pair

Nearest shortfall peer: Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL Metro Area (-0.0pp)

HUD's reference overshoots the ACS median by $131/mo. Lease-up odds are usually better than in shortfall markets, though still compare Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL Metro Area before assuming portability helps.

Instrument codes from this metro’s HUD FMR vs ACS shortfall band, national FMR quartile, dollar spread, gap peer, county footprint, and book completeness, not a moving recommendation.

Shortfall neighbourhood around Lake Charles, LA

Metros nearest this CBSA on voucher-vs-market shortfall (HUD FMR vs ACS 2-BR median). Full ladder: /gap/.

% shortfall
Source HUD USER FMR + Census ACS median gross rent As of 2026-08-25

How does Lake Charles, LA compare with nearby FMR areas?

These are the twelve metros closest to Lake Charles, LA on the displayed voucher-vs-market margin. Their county lists are HUD FMR-area coverage, not a claim that the markets are interchangeable.

  1. Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL Metro Area

    -12.1% shortfall · HUD $1,345 vs ACS $1,200 · $+$145/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Baldwin County.

  2. Greeley, CO Metro Area

    -12.0% shortfall · HUD $1,563 vs ACS $1,396 · $+$167/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Weld County.

  3. St. Cloud, MN Metro Area

    -12.3% shortfall · HUD $1,206 vs ACS $1,074 · $+$132/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Benton County, Stearns County.

  4. Tallahassee, FL Metro Area

    -12.3% shortfall · HUD $1,352 vs ACS $1,204 · $+$148/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Gadsden County, Jefferson County, Leon County.

  5. Ann Arbor, MI Metro Area

    -11.8% shortfall · HUD $1,656 vs ACS $1,481 · $+$175/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Washtenaw County.

  6. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metro Area

    -12.4% shortfall · HUD $2,912 vs ACS $2,591 · $+$321/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Alameda County, Contra Costa County.

  7. Dubuque, IA Metro Area

    -12.5% shortfall · HUD $1,077 vs ACS $957 · $+$120/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Dubuque County.

  8. Alexandria, LA Metro Area

    -12.7% shortfall · HUD $994 vs ACS $882 · $+$112/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Grant Parish, Rapides Parish.

  9. Boulder, CO Metro Area

    -12.7% shortfall · HUD $2,124 vs ACS $1,884 · $+$240/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Boulder County.

  10. Corpus Christi, TX Metro Area

    -12.7% shortfall · HUD $1,407 vs ACS $1,248 · $+$159/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Aransas County.

  11. Parkersburg-Vienna, WV Metro Area

    -12.8% shortfall · HUD $928 vs ACS $823 · $+$105/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Wirt County, Wood County.

  12. Lawrence, KS Metro Area

    -12.8% shortfall · HUD $1,182 vs ACS $1,048 · $+$134/mo

    HUD FMR-area counties: Douglas County.

Source: HUD USER FY2026 Fair Market Rent area records and Census ACS 2019–2023 median gross rent.

LA FMR scale context

These are the closest FY2026 2-BR FMR values in LA; they help place this HUD reference on its state scale, but do not substitute for each metro’s ACS rent comparison.

  1. Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,204 (−$13)
  2. Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA $1,111 (−$106)
  3. New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,331 (+$114)
  4. Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA MSA $1,331 (+$114)
  5. Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA MSA $1,102 (−$115)
  6. Hammond, LA MSA $1,099 (−$118)
  7. Alexandria, LA MSA $994 (−$223)
  8. Acadia Parish, LA HUD Metro FMR Area $880 (−$337)
  9. Morehouse Parish, LA HUD Metro FMR Area $834 (−$383)

High-FMR contrast (scale only)

Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA ($1,979 2-BR); Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA ($1,735 2-BR); Kingston, NY MSA ($1,818 2-BR); Calvert County, MD HUD Metro FMR Area ($2,083 2-BR) . Opposite-quartile FMR metros for scale, not gap substitutes for Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area.

Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area gap inputs

  • HUD 2-BR FMR (FY2026): $1,217/mo
  • ACS 2019–2023 2-BR median: $1,086/mo
  • Displayed gap: +12.1%
  • National FMR percentile: 39 (#155/396)

displayed % = (HUD 2-BR − ACS 2-BR median) / ACS median × 100

Issuing PHAs for Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area

LA HCV agencies (scale-keyed)

Full payment standards for Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area · Payment standards vs FMR

Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2026, Census ACS median gross rent. Gap is PlainVoucher-derived. Methodology.

Disclaimer. For informational purposes only, not a substitute for PHA counseling or legal advice. Median gross rent reflects rents paid by current tenants; asking rents for available units typically run higher. Actual PHA payment standards can differ from HUD FMR by ±10%. Always confirm the current payment standard with your PHA. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or any PHA.

Verify with HUD → · Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Source and method. PlainVoucher compiles public HUD and U.S. Census release data into a searchable reference. Release periods and source boundaries are identified on each data surface; PlainVoucher does not determine eligibility, waitlist status, payment standards, or local PHA rules. Read our editorial standards and corrections policy, methodology, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-25.