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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

West Lafayette

Indiana · 28,778 residents · 13.6 sq mi
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The short version

With 28,778 people, West Lafayette is a city in Indiana. The median age is 22.3, younger than the US median of 35.2. 70% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 24% nationally. Owners hold 32% of the housing stock. 38.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 40% less than in Indiana as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 22.3
US median: 35.2
More educated
70% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
28,778
+11%since 1990
from 25,907 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
22.3
−4%since 1990
from 23.3 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
13.6 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
24K30K37K44K51K19902000201020202024West Lafayette
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 52.5%(718)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 92.7%(783)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 143.2%(923)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1912.7%(3,667)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2443.9%(12,633)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.2%(2,928)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 446.7%(1,924)
US avg: 16%
45 to 546.5%(1,860)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 643.9%(1,115)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 743.1%(892)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843%(849)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.7%(486)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$24,869
−13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $21,786 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$18,337
+39%since 1990
from $13,169 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
38.3%
+4.1 ptssince 1990
from 34.2% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$144,800
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $94,500 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$614
−3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $482 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
32.2%
−1.3 ptssince 1990
from 33.5% in 1990
67.8% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic88.7%(22,974)
Black2%(529)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(491)
Asian8.3%(2,159)
2000
White, non-Hispanic81.5%(23,454)
Black2.3%(675)
Hispanic / Latino3.2%(920)
Asian11.3%(3,252)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.3%(1,048)
Colombian0.8%(340)
Puerto Rican0.5%(244)
Spaniard0.4%(162)
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)
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
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)
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)
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)
Jordanian0%(18)
Haitian0%(17)
Latvian0%(16)
Ethiopian0%(13)
Iraqi0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
69.7%
+1.3 ptssince 1990
from 68.4% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
96.2%
+0.6 ptssince 1990
from 95.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
40.2%
−1.3 ptssince 1990
from 41.5% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
10.0 min
−20%since 1990
from 12.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married67%(10,240)
Married30.4%(4,652)
Widowed0.9%(145)
Divorced1.6%(242)
Women 15+
Never married56.4%(6,374)
Married33.1%(3,743)
Widowed6.1%(686)
Divorced4.4%(498)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
2.5%
−4.5 ptssince 2013
from 7.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
71.2%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 68.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
24.9%
−1.5 ptssince 2020
from 26.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
7.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 7.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
5.3%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 5.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.7%(131)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era17.8%(132)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War32.2%(239)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II10.5%(78)
US avg: 1%

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

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Head to head

Compare West Lafayette to nearby cities

WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Lafayette
Income$53,716+116%
Home value$172,800+19%
Population71,238+56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Frankfort
Income$57,412+131%
Home value$138,600−4%
Population16,837−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Crawfordsville
Income$55,033+121%
Home value$134,000−7%
Population16,699−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WEST LAFAYETTE VS
Logansport
Income$47,291+90%
Home value$92,200−36%
Population18,287−60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in West Lafayette, Indiana?

West Lafayette, Indiana has about 28,778 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in West Lafayette, Indiana?

The typical household in West Lafayette, Indiana earns about $24,869 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 $144,800, and the typical rent is about $614 a month.

How educated are people in West Lafayette, Indiana?

About 69.7% 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 38.3% 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 2,871 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →