CITY
West Lafayette
Indiana · 45,747 residents (2025 est.) · 13.6 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
Part of the Lafayette metro area
The short version
West Lafayette is home to 45,159 people in Indiana. The median age is 21.4, younger than the US median of 38.9. 73% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Owners hold 29% of the housing stock. People stay put here: 53% were in the same home a year ago. 37.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 21.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
73% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
45,159
+57%since 2000
from 28,778 in 2000
45,747 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
13.6 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202445K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 51.9%(868)
5 to 91.9%(877)
10 to 142.7%(1,226)
15 to 1927.2%(12,282)
20 to 2436.3%(16,383)
25 to 348.4%(3,805)
35 to 444.9%(2,231)
45 to 544.8%(2,182)
55 to 644.3%(1,964)
65 to 743.5%(1,603)
75 to 841.6%(724)
85 and over2.2%(1,014)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$34,891
−23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,869 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
31.9%
+9.9 ptssince 2009
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade8.9%
Information7%
Other services3.1%
Finance & insurance2.9%
Wholesale trade2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
Professional, scientific, technical2%
Public administration1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.2%
Construction1.2%
Education & health services0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.2%
Manufacturing0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$350,000
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $144,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
10.0
+34%since 2009
from 7.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
44
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic81.5%(23,454)
Black2.3%(675)
Hispanic / Latino3.2%(920)
Asian11.3%(3,252)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic65.3%(29,481)
Black3.5%(1,567)
Hispanic / Latino5.5%(2,472)
Asian21.9%(9,873)
Other3.9%(1,766)
65
+44%since 2009
from 45 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican2.3%(1,048)
South American1.5%(697)
Colombian0.8%(340)
Puerto Rican0.5%(244)
Spaniard0.4%(162)
Central American0.3%(148)
Peruvian0.3%(114)
Argentine0.2%(94)
Cuban0.2%(86)
Venezuelan0.1%(60)
Ecuadorian0.1%(57)
Costa Rican0.1%(40)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Nicaraguan0.1%(35)
Salvadoran0.1%(31)
Honduran0.1%(24)
Chilean0.1%(23)
Dominican0%(22)
Guatemalan0%(18)
Bolivian0%(9)
Asian origin
Asian Indian9.2%(4,172)
Chinese7.1%(3,221)
Korean1.5%(674)
Japanese1%(444)
Taiwanese0.6%(276)
Vietnamese0.5%(231)
Thai0.4%(181)
Filipino0.4%(176)
Pakistani0.2%(93)
Sri Lankan0.2%(72)
Indonesian0.1%(55)
Nepalese0.1%(25)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0%(14)
Ancestry
German19.8%(8,928)
Irish10.5%(4,725)
English7.4%(3,359)
Italian5%(2,268)
Polish5%(2,240)
American3.3%(1,498)
Scottish3.2%(1,440)
Subsaharan African1.5%(667)
French1.5%(658)
Swedish1.4%(637)
Dutch1.4%(615)
Arab1.2%(532)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian1%(473)
Czech0.9%(410)
British0.8%(361)
Welsh0.7%(321)
Nigerian0.7%(296)
Slovak0.6%(265)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(247)
Russian0.5%(237)
Swiss0.5%(211)
Lithuanian0.4%(202)
Egyptian0.4%(171)
Greek0.4%(165)
Turkish0.3%(155)
Portuguese0.3%(148)
Croatian0.3%(127)
Ghanaian0.2%(112)
French Canadian0.2%(108)
Hungarian0.2%(107)
Ukrainian0.2%(104)
Brazilian0.2%(96)
Serbian0.2%(84)
Iranian0.2%(79)
Palestinian0.2%(76)
Danish0.2%(73)
West Indian0.2%(73)
Romanian0.2%(70)
Austrian0.2%(68)
Armenian0.1%(62)
Canadian0.1%(62)
Syrian0.1%(53)
Belgian0.1%(39)
Israeli0.1%(39)
Macedonian0.1%(36)
Australian0.1%(35)
Bulgarian0.1%(33)
Finnish0.1%(32)
Jamaican0.1%(32)
Lebanese0.1%(28)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(24)
Jordanian0%(18)
Haitian0%(17)
Latvian0%(16)
Ethiopian0%(13)
Iraqi0%(7)
Moroccan0%(7)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
97.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 96.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
62.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 61.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
98.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 96.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married78.6%(18,736)
Married18.5%(4,414)
Widowed1.2%(285)
Divorced1.7%(404)
Women 15+
Never married68.7%(12,598)
Married23.9%(4,384)
Widowed3.9%(722)
Divorced3.5%(645)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
24.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 26.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
0.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 0.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
90.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 90.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
12.2%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)25.7%(191)
Gulf War (1990s)17.7%(131)
Vietnam era17.8%(132)
Korean War32.2%(239)
World War II10.5%(78)
Share of the 742 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to West Lafayette
University CDP (Hillsborough County)
Pop 48,127
Youngstown
Pop 58,832
LaGrange
Pop 34,730
Fort Pierce
Pop 51,737
Places similar to West LafayetteHead to head
Compare West Lafayette to nearby cities
WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Lafayette
Income$53,716+54%
Home value$172,800−51%
Population71,238+56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Frankfort
Income$57,412+65%
Home value$138,600−60%
Population16,837−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Crawfordsville
Income$55,033+58%
Home value$134,000−62%
Population16,699−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Logansport
Income$47,291+36%
Home value$92,200−74%
Population18,287−60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in West Lafayette, Indiana?
West Lafayette, Indiana has about 45,159 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in West Lafayette, Indiana?
The typical household in West Lafayette, Indiana earns about $34,891 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is West Lafayette, Indiana expensive?
In West Lafayette, Indiana, the median home is worth about $350,000, and the typical rent is about $1,225 a month.
How educated are people in West Lafayette, Indiana?
About 73.3% of adults age 25 and over in West Lafayette, Indiana hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in West Lafayette, Indiana?
About 37.3% of people in West Lafayette, Indiana live below the federal poverty line.
Has West Lafayette, Indiana grown since 1990?
Yes, West Lafayette, Indiana has grown since 1990. The population has added about 19,252 residents, a change of about 74 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here
Up the hierarchy
IndianaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024