Uprootmap
Phoenix vs Lake Charles
Phoenix and Lake Charles
Photo: CTtcg / Wikimedia, Public domain
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Lake Charles are above the US rate in this release, 8.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Phoenix to Lake Charles
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Phoenix to Lake Charles above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,277 in Phoenix and $1,149 in Lake Charles. Phoenix has a state tax on wages. Lake Charles has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Lake Charles is 89% of the national level for the same work, against 97% in Phoenix.
Lake Charles averages 228 sunny days, with July highs around 90°F and January nights around 47°F. Phoenix is 299 sunny days, 106°F in July, 46°F in January. Commutes average 23 minutes in Lake Charles and 26 in Phoenix.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Phoenix → Lake Charles pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Phoenix and Lake Charles changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 1,356 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $3,050–$5,750
- Container or pod
- $2,200–$4,100
- Rent a truck
- $1,250–$2,350
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Dig into Lake Charles
Questions
Is Lake Charles cheaper than Phoenix after tax and rent?
Yes. Lake Charles leaves about $246 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,277 in Phoenix and $1,149 in Lake Charles.
Does Lake Charles have state income tax?
Lake Charles is in Louisiana, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Phoenix to Lake Charles?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.