It should be no secret to Lake Charles people why this community ranks near the top for retirement communities in a recently published CNNMoney list.

There’s hunting and fishing. Golf and festivals. Affordable housing and mild winters.

But quiet, industrious communities like this one oftentimes are ignored when it comes to “best of” lists. Not this time. Good for us.

CNNMoney, in ranking Lake Charles among the 25 best places to retire, cited the community’s “eponymous lake” — yes, we had to look that up — which it said serves as “the backdrop for boat parades, firework displays, and festivals celebrating everything from Cajun culture to pirate lore.” Picturesque language, all that.

There’s plenty more to tout, and the web site touted it: We are a “regional hub” for shopping, medical care, higher education and the arts. McNeese State has a diverse leisure learning program. The Shearman Fine Arts Building is a dandy, and performing arts thrive in these Gulf Coast parts.

Yes, there are problems. They can be detected as you drill down into the data that accompanies the publication. Compared to others on the Best 25 list, median income is lower, job growth slower and property crime more problematic than some other sites in the top 25.

But there’s lots to boast about that the publication missed, too: a packed local sports scene; a refreshed and lively downtown; a sense of progress. Some of those things are felt in the heart, made pleasurable through peace of mind and personal satisfaction, and evade exact measure.

Compared to other, larger sites on the list — say Pittsburgh or Austin or Albuquerque — this one is manageable. You can negotiate the streets with some confidence and make it from here to there via I-210 with some ease.

People can be kinder here — friendlier to strangers, more neighborly. That’s something that’s missed in other climates.

“Many people who have been in management positions who have lived in other places have chosen to retire here,” said George Swift, president and chief executive officer of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance. “When people come here and see the friendliness of the people, it’s contagious.”

And why not? “Yes, ma’am” and “No sir” still count for something in this city. People in Lake Charles seem to appreciate that some old ways — basic courtesy and gracious smiles, among them — don’t go out of fashion.

Not everyone embraced the Best 25 list. Like most such website articles, this retirement list had its share of anonymous detractors. But most people here, one might imagine, are proud to be here. That should include those who are working for a living, or settling down by the lake for a well-deserved rest.