Above-ground or inground in Southwest Louisiana?

Side by side

Above-ground prices and lifespan from Fixr (August 2022, the most recent we found; prices have likely risen). Inground ranges are this site's estimates, explained on the cost guide. Resale from Redfin (August 2025).

Resale value

Redfin's 2025 review of the question is direct: above-ground pools add no resale value. Inground pools average about a 7% return, citing Curbio, and do best in warm places where people swim for most of the year. In a ranking of cities by the value a pool adds, Baton Rouge placed second at 13.9% (Redfin). Lake Charles wasn't in that list, but our swim season is just as long, with highs of 82°F or more from May through October (NOAA).

Groundwater and storms

The main local risk for inground pools is the water table, sitting within 0–2 ft of the surface on Mowata soils from December to April (USDA). An above-ground pool sits on the ground rather than in it, so the uplift problem on our water-table page mostly does not apply (our reading). It still needs a level, firm pad that won't wash out in a downpour.

Wind is the other side of it. Laura reached Cameron with 150 mph winds and gusted to 133 mph at the Lake Charles airport (NWS). UF/IFAS advises keeping pools full through a storm, not draining them (UF/IFAS); for an above-ground pool, the weight of a full one also helps hold it in place (our reading). Ask the dealer how the walls and frame are rated, and tie down or store anything loose around the pool.

Permits and fences still apply

Above-ground pools are not exempt from barrier rules. Lake Charles requires a code barrier for any pool deeper than 24 in (city code enforcement), and Sulphur's pool permit covers every pool holding 18 in of water or more, with a 6-ft fence or wall in place before it is filled (City of Sulphur). Unincorporated areas go through the parish. Ask your permit office whether the pool wall itself, with a removable or locking ladder, can serve as part of the barrier before you count on it. Our permits guide lists the offices.

Which one fits

• Above-ground if you are renting, may move within a few years, or want to test whether the family will use a pool.
• Semi-inground if the yard slopes or you want it to look more built-in for a moderate price.
• Inground if you plan to stay, want a deep end, spa or custom shape, or care about resale.

Whichever you pick, budget for the fence and the electrical work, and have a licensed electrician handle the pump circuit.

Common questions