We all know it's a seller's market out there when it comes to real estate in Southwest Louisiana, with rent in Lake Charles being particularly high. There are all sorts of reasons for this, but mostly it comes down to supply and demand. Area growth has brought a lot of temporary construction jobs to SWLA, which means we've seen a massive influx of non-locals needing places to stay until the jobs are done.

It's important to note that the sharp spike in rent isn't anyone's fault, really; it's just what happens in the free market. When demand goes up and supply goes down, prices skyrocket - which is exactly what we've been seeing in the Lake Area over the past few years. (I've written about this in more detail here, if you're interested.)

But just how high has rent climbed in Lake Charles? According to Trulia.com, median rent in the city has fluctuated over the past year between a high of $1,285/month in July 2016, to a low of $1,025 in June 2017. Splitting the difference, let's just say average rent is somewhere around $1,100/month, give or take.

Despite hitting a low of just over $1,000 in June 2017, the upward trend doesn't seem to be showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, the American Press recently ran this story about a proposed 240-unit apartment complex on Weaver Road, with rent ranging from $1,200-$1,800/month.

That's a lot of pennies, kids.

By way of comparison, let's take a look at 7 apartments you could rent right now at Lake Charles prices, but in one of the most expensive rental markets in the country: New York City.

$1,000/month

This $1,000/month apartment has 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, allows dogs and cats, and is located in Lower Manhattan in the Tribeca neighborhood, just off of Broadway.

$1,200/month

This 2 bedroom / 1 bathroom apartment in the Washington Heights neighborhood rents at $1,200/month, comes fully furnished, with heat, electricity, and water included. Pets are allowed.

$1,352/month

This $1,352/month studio apartment in the Hudson Heights neighborhood has 1 bathroom, features pendant lighting, stainless steel appliances, and hardwood floors throughout.

$1,400/month

This 1 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn rents for $1,400/month and features a marble bathroom, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

$1,600/month

This $1,600/month, 1 bedroom apartment located in Brooklyn allows pets, and features recessed lighting, stainless steel appliances, a surround sound system, mosaic back splashes, hardwood floors, and thick wood walls and floors (no sheetrock).

$1,700/month

This $1,700/month apartment in Brooklyn has 2 bedrooms, and features stainless steel appliances, laundry, lots of closet space, and rooftop access.

$1,800/month

This 2 bedroom apartment in Crown Heights rents at $1,800/month, and features stainless steel appliances, large windows, and large rooms.

Granted, most of these are studio or 1 bedroom apartments with lower square footage than what you'd find here in Lake Charles, but they're in the biggest city in the country. Wages are higher, the sales tax is lower, and there's a whole lot to see and do in the city that never sleeps.

Too bad about their food, though. Y'all need to learn how to cook, yankees.