NAICS 23

Construction in Lake Charles, LA

Metro Market Score 49.1 (Challenging), ranked #181 of 342 metros. 728 establishments, 10,386 jobs.

Metro Market Score 49.1

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

🏭Industry Hub

With a 1.97 location quotient, Lake Charles has an outsized construction presence relative to its population. That concentration (index: 97.7) creates a mature local market where supplier networks are established but differentiation matters more.

Industry Concentration

97.7

LQ: 1.97

Rank #334 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

51.5

$72,721 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 65.8

Employment growth index

Rank #118 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

8.0

YoY wage change index

728 Construction Firms in Lake Charles

728

Establishments

+7.4% YoY

10,386

Total Employment

+3.9% YoY

$72,721

Average Annual Wage

-6.2% YoY

1.97

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Louisiana

#3 of 8

construction metros in state

Louisiana state rank

#41 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-2.9

better than median (52.0)

Lake Charles vs Louisiana Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Louisiana overall. The state ranks #41/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Lake Charles	LA Statewide
Overall Score	49.1 Challenging	53.6 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#181 of 342 metros	#41 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Lake Charles

Other Services 28.8 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 36.9 Retail Trade 39.0 Administrative and Support Services 51.6 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 58.2

Construction in Other Louisiana Metros

Monroe 26.3 #22/342 Hammond 29.7 #38/342 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington 50.3 #198/342 Shreveport-Bossier City 52.0 #213/342 Alexandria 54.4 #236/342 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux 58.3 #274/342 Lafayette 63.4 #304/342

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Lake Charles's 49.1 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Sioux Falls, SD 49.1 #180/342 Jacksonville, FL 49.2 #182/342 Fayetteville, NC 49.2 #183/342 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 49.1 #179/342 Sebring, FL 49.2 #184/342 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 49.4 #185/342 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA 48.8 #178/342 Helena, MT 48.8 #177/342 Lexington-Fayette, KY 49.6 #186/342 Champaign-Urbana, IL 49.7 #187/342

Construction in States Bordering Louisiana

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Arkansas 34.3 #8/51 Texas 46.3 #29/51 Mississippi 50.8 #36/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Lake Charles's construction sector, the industry concentration component (97.7) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Lake Charles, LA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment