'''LAKE CHARLES'''

(French: Lac Charles) is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in Acadiana.
As of the 2010 census, the population was 71,993. Lake Charles is the principal city of the Lake Charles Metropolitan Statistical Area, having a population of 194,138. It is the larger principal city of the Lake Charles-Jennings Combined Statistical Area, with a population of 225,235. A 2008 population estimate of the five parish area was over 285,853.
This growing city is considered a major center of petrochemical refining, tourism, gaming, and education, being home to McNeese State University and Sowela Technical Community College. With over 75 festivals held annually, Lake Charles is referred to as the Festival Capital of Louisiana. The city's arts and culture sectors draw a large amount of tourists to the region because of innovative arts events and programming from various organizations and agencies, including the City of Lake Charles (http://www.cityoflakecharles.com), the Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana (http://www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org), and the Lake Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau (http://www.visitlakecharles.org). In 2010, Bloomsberg Businessweek Magazine ranked it the number one place to raise a family in Louisiana. Because of the lakes and waterways throughout the city, metropolitan Lake Charles is often referred to as the Lake Area.

HISTORY

Interwiki: Main » History of Lake Charles, Louisiana

GEOGRAPHY

Lake Charles is located at Interwiki: Coord » 30|12|53|N|93|12|31|W|type:city (30.214656, -93.208537)Interwiki: GR » 1 and has an elevation of Interwiki: convert » 13|ft|1Interwiki: GR » 3. The city is located on the banks of the Calcasieu River in southwestern Louisiana, and borders both Lake Charles and Prien Lake. Contraband Bayou, Henderson Bayou, and English Bayou flow through parts of the city. The city is located on a plain about Interwiki: convert » 30|mi|km from the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Interwiki: convert » 42.5|sqmi|km2, of which Interwiki: convert » 40.2|sqmi|km2 is land and Interwiki: convert » 2.4|sqmi|km2 (5.57%) is water.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Category: File - :Downtown Lake Charles.JPG|200px|left|thumb|Downtown Lake Charles, with the Capital One Tower to the left.
As of the census Interwiki: GR » 2 of 2000, there were 71,757 people, 27,974 households, and 18,015 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,786.6 people per square mile (689.7/km²). There were 31,429 housing units at an average density of 782.5 per square mile (302.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was:

• 50.23% White
• 46.82% African American
• 0.23% Native American
• 1.07% Asian
• 0.03% Pacific Islander
• 0.47% from other races
• 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.40% of the population.

There were 27,974 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.
The population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,774, and the median income for a family was $37,774. Males had a median income of $33,005 versus $21,041 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,922. About 16.3% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

TRANSPORTATION

Category: File - :Interstate 210 Bridge.JPG|250px|right|thumb|The Interstate 210 Bridge.
The city's streets are laid out primarily in a grid pattern. Interstate 10 passes through Lake Charles, connecting the city with Houston to the west and New Orleans to the east. The Lake Charles I-10 Bridge goes over part of the lake, that shares the same name with the city, and Calcasieu River. Featuring decorative guns on the siding, it is Interwiki: convert » 135|ft|m high. About 50,000 vehicles pass over it daily. Despite its age of over 50 years, it is considered safe by the Louisiana DOTD.Interstate 210 is an interstate highway bypass that loops through the southern portion of the city. The curving I-210 Calcasieu River High Bridge goes over the Calcasieu Ship Channel. This bridge has a 96% rating even after withstanding recent hurricanes. The loop has served Lake Charles commuters for 40 years, and carries about 40,000 vehicles per day. Its ten exits and the seven exits of I-10 drastically lower the commute time.
Other major highways include U.S. Highway 90, which runs parallel with Interstate 10, and U.S. Highway 171, which connects the city to the north with Moss Bluff, DeRidder, and Shreveport. Highway 165, which runs northeast to Alexandria terminates at Highway 90 just a few miles east of the city. Louisiana Highway 14 ends at a junction with Highway 90, and runs south then east of the city. Another major thoroughfare is Ryan Street, running north to south connecting downtown to the southern portions of the city.

UTILITIES

Electrical needs are provided by the energy company Entergy. The city provides drinking water and sewage service to residents within city limits. Water is treated at six water treatment facilities in the city.


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