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Why isn't Lake Charles a lot bigger than it should be?

Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:26 am
Posted by ShunnedHuman
Member since Jul 2025
11 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:26 am
It's got a very large port, it's got a lot of plants/refineries, It's on I-10 and centrally located between Houston and New Orleans, got a loop, etc.

Yet only has 80,000 people.

Why isn't it bigger?

Posted by Stagg8
Houston
Member since Jan 2005
13414 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:27 am to
A couple of hurricanes.
Posted by Away Days
Member since Sep 2021
137 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:28 am to
Some hurricane levels it every 7-10 years.
Posted by Cosmo
glassman's guest house
Member since Oct 2003
129754 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:29 am to
Because its close to texas

And if you are choosing between texas and LC you choose texas
Posted by fightin tigers
Downtown Prairieville
Member since Mar 2008
76595 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:29 am to
Doesn't the hurricane excuse apply to Beaumont and Houston?
Posted by Stagg8
Houston
Member since Jan 2005
13414 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:30 am to
quote:

Doesn't the hurricane excuse apply to Beaumont and Houston?


Yeah. Two things can both be right.

Houston was on track to overtake Chicago as third biggest city in the US before Harvey hit.
Posted by The Boat
Member since Oct 2008
176061 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:32 am to
It’s still crazy driving through Lake Charles and not seeing the Cap One Tower in the skyline anymore.

Must be how New Yorkers felt after 9/11.
Posted by Kenna City Solja
America’s City
Member since Nov 2025
859 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:33 am to
Coonasses
Posted by doubleb
Baton Rouge
Member since Aug 2006
41952 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:33 am to
quote:

Why isn't it bigger?


Louisiana is bleeding population.

The economy never diversified, wd have a healthy income tax, and a very high sales tax, and severe hurricanes crushed much of S La, including Lake Charles.

It pays for the best and brightest to leave.
Posted by jizzle6609
Houston
Member since Jul 2009
18204 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:34 am to
quote:

It's on I-10 and centrally located between Houston and New Orleans, got a loop, etc. Yet only has 80,000 people. Why isn't it bigge


Money and politics.

Posted by Kingpenm3
Xanadu
Member since Aug 2011
9805 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:37 am to
quote:

Why isn't it bigger?



Because it is sandwiched between Beaumont and Lafayette.

I find it very frustrating. Growing like crazy but can't keep the IHOP open.
This post was edited on 1/10/26 at 12:22 pm
Posted by Giantkiller
the internet.
Member since Sep 2007
24724 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:47 am to
Too close to Texas, too far away from the Mississippi River, too far from Lafayette so they lack any real identity or culture.
Posted by Privateer 2007
Member since Jan 2020
7828 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:52 am to
close to Texas

Yep.
I interviewed w sasol there once.

Everybody in the group lived on Texas side.
Posted by Kenna City Solja
America’s City
Member since Nov 2025
859 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:55 am to
quote:

Everybody in the group lived on Texas side.

Paying Texas property tax and Louisiana income tax

Ouch
Posted by Dire Wolf
bawcomville
Member since Sep 2008
39978 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:56 am to
quote:

I interviewed w sasol there once. Everybody in the group lived on Texas side.


Wouldn’t that be the worst of both

Pay Texas property tax and Louisiana income tax?
Posted by Everyday Is Saturday
Member since Dec 2025
138 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 11:56 am to
Presume you mean why isn’t LC bigger than it is?

In the competitive world of O&G, the largest cost on the profit & loss statement is cost of goods sold (operational assets, many with high risk).

The highest value (eg, LNG) in value chain is not in physical assets. It’s in global trading business. Those cats sit downtown Houston, central London, Singapore, Beijing, etc. Call it globalization, technology, etc…and then follow the money, and the population appears.
Posted by jizzle6609
Houston
Member since Jul 2009
18204 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 12:11 pm to
High rate of drug and alcohol abuse. Big cities will have more robbery and theft crimes.

Louisiana is pretty good at everything outside of murder and violent crime in general. People don’t rob you they just shoot you there, lol.

The D- grade indicates that the rate of murder is much higher than that of the average US city. Lake Charles ranks in the 8th percentile for safety, meaning it is safer than 8% of cities but less safe than 92%.
Posted by LegendInMyMind
Member since Apr 2019
72331 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 12:13 pm to
quote:

Why isn't Lake Charles a lot bigger than it should be?

This is very oddly worded.
Posted by Play_Neck
Member since Dec 2014
2195 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 12:17 pm to
quote:

I interviewed w sasol there once.


Seems like not a bad life, Texas country side and decent plant. I don't like the high ups at Sasol (meaning corporate), personally.
Posted by Penrod
Member since Jan 2011
52797 posts
Posted on 1/10/26 at 12:17 pm to
quote:

Why isn't Lake Charles a lot bigger than it should be?

By definition, Lake Charles should not be bigger than it should be.
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