2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 216,785 people, 77,232 households, and 53,308 families residing in the parish.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 192,768 people, 73,996 households, and 50,490 families residing in the parish. The population density was 176 people per square mile (66/km2). There were 75,995 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile (27/km2). 70.8% of the population were White, 24.9% Black or African American, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.9% of some other race and 1.9% of two or more races. 2.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 24.9% were of French, French Canadian or Cajun, 8.4% American, 6.2% Irish, 6.2% English and 6.1% German ancestry. 5.98% reported speaking French or Cajun French at home, while 1.56% speak Spanish.[http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=22&county_id=19&mode=geographic&zip=&place_id=&cty_id=&ll=&a=&ea=&order=r]
There were 73,996 households, out of which 35.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.60% were married couples living together, 14.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the parish the population was spread out, with 27.40% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.
The median income for a household in the parish was $35,372, and the median income for a family was $41,903. Males had a median income of $36,569 versus $21,390 for females. The per capita income for the parish was $17,710. About 12.80% of families and 15.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.90% of those under age 18 and 14.20% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Public schools are operated by the Calcasieu Parish School Board.
It is in the service area of Sowela Technical Community College.
National Guard
Elements of the 256th IBCT and the 139TH RSG (Regional Support Group) are based in Lake Charles. The 256th IBCT deployed to Iraq twice, 2004-5 and 2010. De Quincy is the home of H Company of the 199th Forward Support Battalion which is a detachment of 3-156th Infantry Battalion. The Battalion's HHC is located in Lake Charles. These units deployed to Iraq with the 256TH IBCT.
Communities
thumb|300px|Map of Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana with municipal labels.
Cities
DeQuincy
Lake Charles (parish seat and largest municipality)
Sulphur
Westlake
Towns
Iowa
Vinton
Unincorporated areas
Census-designated places
Carlyss
Gillis
Hayes
Moss Bluff
Prien
Starks
Unincorporated community
Mossville that was taken over by Sasol.
Notable people
Mark Abraham (born 1953), politician elected in 2015 as state representative for Calcasieu Parish, was sworn in January 2016.
Eston Arledge (1917-1941), Vinton native and Purple Heart recipient killed-in-action on board the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor while serving in the US Navy.
Ken Bahnsen (born 1930), former NFL fullback and collegiate football and tennis coach. Member of the Athletic Hall of Fame at the University of North Texas.
Terry Burrows (Born 1968), former Major League Baseball pitcher and head baseball coach at McNeese State University.
A.C. Clemons (1921–1992), Democratic politician elected to the Louisiana State Senate. He switched parties and became the first declared Republican member of the state senate since the Reconstruction era. His district included part of Calcasieu Parish.
Casey Daigle (born 1981), former Major League Baseball pitcher. Husband of American Olympic gold medalist Jennie Finch.
Mike Danahay, Democratic state representative for Calcasieu Parish since 2008; sales representative in Lake Charles; formerly resided in Sulphur and Vinton
Alvin Dark (1922-2014) former Major League Baseball player and manager
Michael E. DeBakey (1908-2008), heart surgeon; first person to successfully implant an artificial heart (1963); member of the Health Care Hall of Fame; recipient of the United Nations Lifetime Achievement Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, and the National Medal of Science; originator of the M.A.S.H. unit concept.
Sean Patrick Flanery (born 1965), is an American actor, author and martial artist.
Dan Flavin (born 1957), Republican former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Calcasieu and Cameron parishes. He operates a real estate office in Lake Charles.
1LT. Douglas B. Fournet (1943-1968), Medal of Honor recipient killed-in-action in the Vietnam War.
A. B. Franklin (born 1948), an African-American businessman and Democratic politician from Lake Charles who has served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Calcasieu Parish since 2008.
Lether Frazar (1904–1960), university administrator, was the fourth president of McNeese State University, the second president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
Gilbert Franklin Hennigan (1883-1960), served in the Louisiana Senate from Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jeff Davis parishes from 1944 to 1956. He was born in Meadows in Calcasieu Parish and also lived in Beauregard Parish.
Harry Hollins, state representative for Calcasieu Parish from 1964 to 1980.
Ronnie Johns (born 1949), a State Farm Insurance agency owner in Sulphur who served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1996 to 2008; he was unopposed for the state senator from District 27 in 2011.
Charlie Joiner (born 1947), former NFL wide receiver and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
John Sebastian Jones (1872-1959), first dean of Southern University. Father of Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones.
Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones (1905-1982), former football and baseball coach and later president at Grambling State University.
Robert G. "Bob" Jones (born 1939), a Lake Charles stockbroker, served in both houses of the Louisiana legislature between 1968 and 1976. He later switched to the Republican Party after running unsuccessfully in the 1975 gubernatorial primary.
Sam Houston Jones (1897–1978), born and raised in nearby Beauregard Parish, he practiced law in Lake Charles for years prior to his election as governor in 1940.
Eddie Kennison (born 1973), former LSU and NFL and wide receiver. Member of Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Bobby Kimball (born 1947), former lead singer and original member of the band Toto.
Tony Kushner (born 1956), Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
Alvan Lafargue (1883–1962), a physician who practiced for 50 years primarily in Calcasieu Parish. He was the mayor of Sulphur from 1926 to 1932.
Conway LeBleu (1918-2007), a Lake Charles native who represented Cameron and part of Calcasieu parishes in the Louisiana House from 1964 to 1988.
Zachary Levi (born 1980), American actor, comedian, and singer.
Coleman Lindsey (1892–1968), born in a part of Calcasieu Parish that is now the Dry Creek community of Allen Parish. He was a state senator from Bossier and Webster parishes, lieutenant governor from 1939 to 1940, and a state court district judge in East Baton Rouge Parish from 1950 until his death.
Nate Livings (born 1982), former NFL offensive lineman.
Margaret Lowenthal (1929-2003), the first woman to represent Calcasieu Parish in the Louisiana House, with service from 1980 to 1988.
Janice Lynde (born 1948), American actress and original cast member of The Young and the Restless.
Ted Lyons (1900-1986), former Major League Baseball pitcher and manager. 1955 inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Tommy Mason (1939-2015), former professional American Football player in the NFL. First overall pick of the 1961 NFL Draft.
Dak Prescott (born 1993), current quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.
Trey Quinn (born 1995), professional athlete for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL.
Rupert Richardson (1930-2008), African-American civil rights activist and civil rights leader who served as president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1992 to 1995.
Wilbert Rideau (born 1943), was a winner of the George Polk Award as editor of The Angolite, the Louisiana State Penitentiary's prisoner-produced newsmagazine. Rideau had been convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1961 by an all-male, all-white jury in a trial called "kangaroo court proceedings" by the United States Supreme Court, which threw out the conviction based on pre-trial publicity. He was tried and convicted again; appeals resulted in two more trials. He was self-taught. At a fourth trial in 2005, Rideau was unanimously convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 21 years. As he had already served more than 40 years, he was released immediately. He continues to work as a writer and journalist.
Guy Sockrider (1921-2011), businessman and state senator from Jennings and Lake Charles from 1948 to 1964
Victor T. "Vic" Stelly (1941-2020), former Republican state representative from Calcasieu Parish and author of the Stelly Plan
Dennis Stine, state representative (1987-1988) and state commissioner of administration (1988-1992), Lake Charles timber businessman reared in Sulphur
Tim Stine, state representative (1988-1996) and member of the Sulphur City Council (1986-1988), timber businessman and brother of Dennis Stine
Martin Waldron (1925–1981), winner of the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for reporting on unchecked spending on the Florida Turnpike.
Politics
