Lafayette (formerly La Fayette) is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. As of 2020, the city's population was 25,391. It was named after the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military officer of the American Revolutionary War.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Lafayette ranks

All →

#1Fewest uninsured in CA #3Rent easiest to afford in CA #9Most remote workers in CA All CA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code94549

Area code925

Living in Lafayette

Housing in Lafayette

$1.88M▲ 2.9% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Lafayette home is worth about $1,884,000, up 2.9% in a year, 147% above the California typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market14

Sale-to-list102%

Sold in May27

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Lafayette

Safety Grade B

Lafayette reports less crime per resident than 61% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Lafayette 0.6

California 4.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Lafayette 10.8

California 18.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Lafayette

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Lafayette for work: only 7% work in town. The top destinations are San Francisco (19%), Oakland (8%) and Walnut Creek (7%). Half commute less than 16 miles.

San Francisco

19%

Oakland

Walnut Creek

Berkeley

7%Work in townlive and work in Lafayette 16 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 8,814Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Lafayette →

Health in Lafayette

A⁺

Health Grade A+

Healthier than 98% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with California

22better than CA·2worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 8 are too close to call.

Conditions 4▲ 2▼ 6 close Habits 3▲ 1 close Care 6▲ 1 close Mind 5▲ 0 close Everyday needs 4▲ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

3.1%Fewer uninsured adultsCA 10.6% · better 5.5%Fewer adults facing food insecurityCA 17.9% · better 10%More adults who have had cancerCA 6.4% · worse

Care nearby

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut CreekWalnut Creek · 3.4 mi · ER

La Clinica MonumentConcord · 6.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthNo shortage

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Lafayette · CMS · HRSAHealth in Lafayette →

Natural hazards in Lafayette

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 96% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🏚️ Earthquakes

19Does Lafayette flood?paid flood claims since 1980 3Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Lafayette MapLafayette vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Lafayette →

Climate in Lafayette

Full climate →

Lafayette has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 39°, and snow is almost unheard of.

58° / 40°Winter

69° / 46°Spring

84° / 55°Summer

75° / 50°Fall

How much snow does Lafayette get?Almost none.Rain & snow →Does it ever freeze?In about 80% of years.Frost →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.7° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Lafayette →

Schools in Lafayette

All Lafayette schools →

A⁺

School Grade A+

The public schools Lafayette’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 97% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#22Best public schoolsof 574 in CA

DistrictLafayette ElementarySchools13

Burton Valley Elementary A+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 653 students Lafayette Elementary A+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 515 students Springhill Elementary AElementary · Grades K–5 · 479 students Happy Valley Elementary A+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 463 students Lafayette Early Intervention PreschoolElementary · Grades K · 3 students The Meher SchoolsElementary · Grades PK–5 · 308 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within CA. Ratings are from neighbors.