West Lafayette, IN
Census place 1882862 · pop 45,159
Home of Purdue University, the Big Ten campus that produced astronauts Neil Armstrong and Gus Grissom.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.60 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
24.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
37.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$34,891 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
29.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-7.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
89.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$350,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
10.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,780/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
1207 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.82% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.0% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
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.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
94 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
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.
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.
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.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
25.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
16 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
73.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Frequently asked
- Is West Lafayette, IN a good place to live?
- By the numbers, West Lafayette scores 52/100 — 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 bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is income inequality. 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 West Lafayette, IN?
- West Lafayette reports 94 violent crimes per 100k and 1207 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is West Lafayette, IN expensive to live in?
- West Lafayette has a median home value of $350,000 and typical rent around $1,780/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in West Lafayette, IN?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.60) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is West Lafayette, IN best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (73.3%) — 97/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Purdue University, the Big Ten campus that produced astronauts Neil Armstrong and Gus Grissom.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.