Moses Fowler House · National Register of Historic Places
Lafayette’s story
173 years in pictures
27 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1853Lafayette is settled
LafayetteIN
A city of 71,159, settled in 1853. Home to 27 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Population
71,159
+5.4% since 2010
Typical home
$269K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
33.0
years
Jobs based here
59,682
A job hub
What makes Lafayette stand out
The 3 things Lafayette does most differently from other towns.
Moses Fowler HouseHistory
Settled in 1853
27 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 173 years.
59,682jobs here
Work
59,682 jobs
based in Lafayette, a regional job hub
51% of working residents work in town.
Outdoors
#65 most walkable in IN
11 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves
3.7% of the town is conserved land.
A job hub
Every workday, about 42,922 people come to Lafayette for work
Where Lafayette’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
59,682jobs based in Lafayette
51%of working residents work in town
4 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Lafayette’s report card
Now in Lafayette
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Lafayette is #16 of 602 in IN for “Shortest commute”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Lafayette’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →68°
Clear
H 68° · L 44°
Local news
All →- Buc-ee's to Officially Break Ground for Lafayette Store - Date Announced99.9 KTDY · Oct 1
- Man shot at victim 9 times in Ivy Tech parking lot, court records sayJournal & Courier · Sep 30
- Small earthquake reported this morning in northwest Georgia11Alive.com · Sep 30
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lafayette. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Lafayette
51% of Lafayette’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are West Lafayette (13%), Center (2%) and Frankfort (2%). Half commute less than 4 miles.
51%work in town
Where working residents work
In Lafayette51%
West Lafayette13%
Center2%
Frankfort2%
Washington1%
4 mi
median commute distance
59,682
jobs based in Lafayette
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
3.7% of Lafayette is conserved land
11 miles of trails across 20 parks and preserves.
#146for trails in IN
3.7%
conserved · 709 of 19,406 acres
11 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
#169
most conserved land in IN
#65
most walkable in IN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. McAllister Park | 5 mi | 258 |
| 2. Columbian Park | 0.7 mi | 37 |
| 3. Murdock Park | 0.6 mi | 39 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Lafayette home is worth about $269K
The typical Lafayette home is worth about $269,000, up 2.8% in a year, close to the Indiana typical home.
$269KZillow home value
Typical home value
Lafayette$269K
Indiana$260K
Market temperature
18
days on market
99.1%
sale-to-list price
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
76
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 46% of U.S. towns
Lafayette beats the Indiana average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
B−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Indiana
4 better20 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Lafayette | IN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with obesity | 31.9% | 38.4% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.1% | 8.3% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 14% | 11.2% |
Franciscan Health Lafayette
1.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
74th
percentile among IN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 10% of U.S. communities.
10risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
14
paid flood claims since 1981
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 17% of U.S. towns
Lafayette reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 83% report less.
C−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lafayette4
Indiana3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lafayette16.6
Indiana12.5
U.S.15.5
17th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
11th
percentile among IN towns
285
violent crimes reported in 2025
1,192
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Lafayette has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 18°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
21″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–37°
Spring40–62°
Summer62–83°
Fall43–65°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Landmarks
27 places in Lafayette on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Lafayette
City in Indiana, US
Lafayette ( LA(H)F-ee-ET) is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. The population was 70,783 at the 2020 census. It sits across the Wabash River from West Lafayette, home to Purdue University, which plays a major role in both communities. Together, Lafayette and West Lafayette make up the core of the Lafayette metropolitan area, home to 235,066 people in 2020. Lafayette was founded in 1825 on the southeast bank of the Wabash River near where the river becomes impassable for riverboats upstream, though a French fort and trading post had existed since 1717 on the opposite bank and three miles downstream. It was named for the French general Marquis de Lafa…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1853
- Population
- 70,783
- Area
- 30 sq mi
- Elevation
- 692 ft
- ZIP code
- 47901, 47902, 47903
- Area code
- 765
Lafayette’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Lafayette.
ShadelandUnionWeaFairfieldDaytonLafayette