Lake Charles

Lake Charles is located in Calcasieu Parish (of which it is the parish seat) within the Cajun Country Region, between Sulphur and Jennings along Interstate 10 on the banks of the Calcasieu River near DeQuincy, the Intracoastal Waterway, Calcasieu Lake, Prien Lake, Moss Lake, and Westlake.

Mcneese State University and Sowela Regional Technical Institute are located here.

The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 70,766, an increase of 186 since 1990.