Lafayette, IN

Census place 1840788 · pop 71,159

D53/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in IN
📍 Indiana ranks #18 of 50 states →
🏆 Commute16 min · top 8%
🚽 Own46.7% · bottom 10%
Taxes
0.65% property · US 0.99%7.00% sales · US 7.00%2.95% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership46.7%10

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

46.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Violent crime rate591/100k12

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

591 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Median household income$53,71618

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$53,716 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Population growth (5yr)-2.0%19

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-2.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Adult smoking16.4%23

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poverty rate17.8%24

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

17.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Poor mental health18.8%24

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Property crime rate2061/100k27

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2061 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Uninsured adults10.9%38

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

10.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Bachelor's degree or higher27.9%45

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

27.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Broadband access91.4%48

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Physical inactivity24.5%53

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

24.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level78/10066

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

78/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity31.9%67

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

31.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Income inequality0.4169

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.41 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.1%75

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$172,80079

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$172,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Property-tax burden0.65%79

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.65% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$1,194/mo89

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,194/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Air quality (AQI)County-level35 AQI89

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

35 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time16 min92

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

16 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Frequently asked

Is Lafayette, IN a good place to live?
By the numbers, Lafayette scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is homeownership. Indiana overall ranks #18 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Lafayette, IN?
Lafayette reports 591 violent crimes per 100k and 2061 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Lafayette, IN expensive to live in?
Lafayette has a median home value of $172,800 and typical rent around $1,194/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Lafayette, IN?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (46.7%) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Lafayette, IN best at?
Its strongest measured area is commute time (16 min) — 92/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.