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Lake Charles vs Alexandria for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Lake Charles, LA and Alexandria, LA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

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Alexandria wins 5–1 across key metrics
Alexandria leads on cash flow (5.80% vs 5.26% cap rate) · Lake Charles leads on population growth
Metric
Lake Charles, LA
Alexandria, LA
Est. Cap Rate
5.26%
5.80%
Median Home Price
$195,000
$160,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,150
$1,020
1% Rule
0.59%
0.64%
GRM
14.1x
13.1x
Price / Income
4.2x
3.5x
Property Tax Rate
0.54%
0.54%
Vacancy Rate
6.8%
6.7%
Population Growth
0.4% / yr
0.3% / yr
Annual Appreciation
2%
2.1%
Population
84,000
50,000
Median Income
$46,800
$45,760

Lake Charles vs Alexandria: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Alexandria has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.80% compared to Lake Charles's 5.26%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $195,000 in Lake Charles vs $160,000 in Alexandria, while rents come in at $1,150/mo and $1,020/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.

Growth & appreciation: Lake Charles is growing faster at 0.4% annually vs Alexandria's 0.3%. Alexandria leads on home value appreciation at 2.1% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.54% in Lake Charles vs 0.54% in Alexandria. Vacancy rates of 6.8% and 6.7% are mixed — Alexandria has the tighter rental market.

Entry point: Alexandria offers a lower entry at $160K vs Lake Charles's $195K — a difference of $35K. With a 20% down payment, that's $32K vs $39K. Alexandria combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.

Bottom line: Alexandria edges out Lake Charles on most key metrics. With a 5.80% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Lake Charles or Alexandria.

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Lake Charles, LA
5.26% cap rate · $195,000 median · $1,150/mo
Full analysis →
Alexandria, LA
5.80% cap rate · $160,000 median · $1,020/mo
Full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lake Charles or Alexandria better for rental investing?
Alexandria wins 5–1 across our 7 key metrics. Alexandria's 5.80% cap rate and $160K median price give it the edge overall.
What is the cap rate difference between Lake Charles and Alexandria?
Lake Charles has a 5.26% cap rate vs Alexandria's 5.80% — a difference of 0.54 percentage points. This is a relatively small difference — other factors like growth, taxes, and local market conditions may matter more. For context, the national average is 3.81%.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Alexandria has lower property taxes at 0.54% vs 0.54%. On a $178K property, that's a difference of approximately $189/year in tax expense — money that goes directly to (or from) your cash flow.
Which city is growing faster?
Lake Charles is growing at 0.4% annually vs Alexandria's 0.3%. Both cities have slow growth — focus on the strongest neighborhoods. Lake Charles's appreciation rate of 2% also trails on home value growth.

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