The Town Files

Prien, Louisiana

Community in Calcasieu Parish · population 7,745 (2020 Census)

Map: where Prien is in LouisianaPrien
Median home
$278,000
Household income
$87,292
Jan low / Jul high
43° / 92°
Snow a year
0 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
54
Median age
36.3

Prien is a community of 7,745 people in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $278,000, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more upscale than 99% of Louisiana towns, better for young professionals than 81% of Louisiana towns, more vibrant than 80% of Louisiana towns.

How Prien ranks

Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.

Prien lifestyle rankings vs other Louisiana townsRetirement32nd pctFamilies55th pctQuiet8th pctWalkability77th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals81st pctVibrancy80th pctHip & trendy30th pctCollege town46th pctUpscale99th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving77th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Prien is worth $278,000, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $87,292, which is more affordable than 44% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $1,292 a month. 85.3% of households own their home.

Prien vs Calcasieu Parish vs typical Louisiana townPrienCalcasieu ParishTypical Louisiana townHome value$278,000$217,000$166,450Household income$87,292$67,564$52,134Monthly rent$1,292$1,109$887
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Louisiana towns with 500+ people.
HousingPrienTypical Louisiana town
Median home value$278,000$166,450
Median rent$1,292$887
Median household income$87,292$52,134
Home value ÷ income3.2×3.0×
Homeownership85.3%70.4%
Median year built19921979
Seasonal / vacation homes1.3%—

Who lives in Prien

PeoplePrienTypical Louisiana town
Median age36.338.4
Age 65 and over14.2%17.0%
Under 1826.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher42.0%15.8%
Below the poverty line6.4%20.4%
Veterans3.4%—
Born outside the U.S.5.4%—
Work from home6.7%4.7%
Average commute17.0 min25.8 min
Homes with broadband94.4%84.6%

Weather in Prien

July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 43.4°F. About 59.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 88 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.

Prien monthly temperatures and precipitation40°50°60°70°80°90°100°63°43°Jan67°47°Feb73°53°Mar79°59°Apr85°67°May91°74°Jun92°76°Jul93°75°Aug89°71°Sep82°60°Oct72°51°Nov65°45°DecPrecipitation (in)5.93.33.74.45.46.55.76.25.24.84.14.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Lake Charles station (3.9 mi away); snow from Lake Charles Port (4.6 mi).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prien since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 17, 1973 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 14, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Prien by decade11950s41960s71970s81980s91990s42000s72010s142020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 73 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 9, 2019.

Severe weather in Calcasieu Parish since 1996

Storm events in Calcasieu Parish since 1996 by typeHail179Heat2Flood19Drought2Tornado52Lightning14Heavy Rain14Flash Flood110
NOAA Storm Events Database, Calcasieu Parish, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 7 deaths recorded.

Calcasieu Parish has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3638: Severe Winter Storm
September 10, 2024HurricaneEM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine
September 13, 2021Coastal StormEM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas
August 29, 2021HurricaneDR-4611: Hurricane Ida
August 27, 2021HurricaneEM-3568: Tropical Storm Ida

Jobs and pay in Calcasieu Parish

Calcasieu Parish had 88,649 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,711 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Prien itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.

Largest industries in Calcasieu ParishHealth care & social assistan…12,194 jobs · $53,333Hotels & restaurants11,961 jobs · $27,245Retail10,765 jobs · $36,778Manufacturing10,445 jobs · $127,060Construction8,655 jobs · $72,906Administrative & support4,850 jobs · $56,322
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Calcasieu Parish, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Calcasieu 3.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Prien

Prien questions

Is Prien, Louisiana a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prien scores better for retirees than 32% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 8%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).

How much does a house cost in Prien?

The median owner-occupied home in Prien is valued at $278,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $87,292, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,292 a month.

What is the weather like in Prien?

July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 43.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.

Does Prien get tornadoes?

54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prien since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 17, 1973. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Prien's Census boundary (GEOID 2262647). Comparisons use the median of Louisiana towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.