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Living in
Lafayette.
The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.
About
Life in Lafayette
If you're considering Lafayette, understand upfront that you're looking at one of the Bay Area's more expensive markets—median home values top $2 million and median rent runs $2,892 a month. The population is older and heavily family-oriented, with two-thirds of households married couples, so the vibe skews toward established neighborhoods rather than young professional energy. You'll experience real seasonal contrasts here: summers regularly push past 100°F on the east side of the Berkeley Hills, which separates Lafayette from the cooler Bay-facing areas, while winters bring genuine rain and occasional freezes.
Lafayette at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.9%
Foreign-Born
14.0%
Broadband Internet
98.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.0% foreign-born, most often from Iran
Who lives in Lafayette: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lafayette, the largest foreign-born group is from Iran (14.8%), and 4.9% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
25.7%
of residents
65 and Older
21.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
18.8%
of households
Married Couples
66.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.62
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 42% above CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Lafayette
In Lafayette, rent runs 42% above the CA average, and home values are 172% above the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
34.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
16.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
115.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
77.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1960
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $1,907,310 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.4 pts below CA average
Unemployment in Lafayette
Unemployment in Lafayette is 1.4 percentage points lower than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Lafayette Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29.3 min avg
How Lafayette residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lafayette, most residents work from home to work (43%), and 56% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)
Medium hub4.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 23 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 83% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lafayette runs 83% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
55.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,084
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lafayette Police Department
Natural DisastersStrong Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Contra Costa County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Contra Costa County, which includes Lafayette, the most common type is strong wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 11 | Flood | $70 |
| 2023 | 9 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 12 | Strong Wind | $10 |
| 2021 | 12 | Strong Wind | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 18 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 32 | Strong Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 16 | Flood | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
264 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Contra Costa County, county-wide
Lafayette is about 2% of Contra Costa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Contra Costa County, which includes Lafayette, is typically good — 195 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
48
Good Days
195
per year
Moderate Days
168
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Contra Costa County, county-wide
Lafayette is about 2% of Contra Costa County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate87°F summers, 42°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lafayette has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and mild winters (avg low 42°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
77°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
60°/42°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
26.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
47
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
4
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
60
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 42°F | 3.46" |
| Feb | 63°F | 44°F | 3.57" |
| Mar | 68°F | 47°F | 2.57" |
| Apr | 72°F | 49°F | 1.23" |
| May | 78°F | 53°F | 0.61" |
| Jun | 85°F | 57°F | 0.12" |
| Jul | 88°F | 58°F | 0.00" |
| Aug | 88°F | 59°F | 0.02" |
| Sep | 86°F | 58°F | 0.06" |
| Oct | 78°F | 53°F | 0.68" |
| Nov | 67°F | 46°F | 1.87" |
| Dec | 59°F | 41°F | 3.55" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lafayette
Uninsured
0.8%
of residents
No hospitals inside Lafayette's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Walnut Creek
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.3 mi away · Walnut Creek
John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.4 mi away · Walnut Creek
John Muir Behavioral Health Center
Psychiatric · ER available · 7.8 mi away · Concord
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education21.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lafayette
Lafayette's student/teacher ratio is 21.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 79.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
7
within city limits
College Degree Rate
79.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Lafayette (within 15 miles)
University of California-Berkeley
7.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 33,068 students · in-state tuition $17,198 · 94% graduate · median earnings $100,212 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 15,358 students · in-state tuition $1,128 · 32% graduate · median earnings $56,684 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,842 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 20% graduate · median earnings $42,812 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 5,203 students · in-state tuition $1,128 · 22% graduate · median earnings $45,857 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,487 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 21% graduate · median earnings $47,627 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,456 students · in-state tuition $1,258 · 21% graduate · median earnings $48,574 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: John Muir National Historic Site, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lafayette
Lafayette has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being John Muir National Historic Site (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
John Muir National Historic Site
National Historic Site
6 mi awayEugene O'Neill National Historic Site
National Historic Site
7 mi awayPort Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
National Memorial
12 mi awayRosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
13 mi awayAlcatraz Island
National Park Site
17 mi awaySan Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
National Historical Park
18 mi awayFort Point National Historic Site
National Historic Site
20 mi awayPresidio of San Francisco
National Park Site
20 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lafayette
Lafayette Library
3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette
Cities Near Lafayette
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lafayette?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lafayette FAQ
Is Lafayette, California affordable?⌄
Lafayette's median rent is $2,892/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $228,250/year. Median home value is $2,000,000+.
Is Lafayette, California safe?⌄
Lafayette's violent crime rate was 55 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1084 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lafayette, California?⌄
Lafayette has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lafayette, California?⌄
The cost of living in Lafayette is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,892/month and median household income is $228,250/year. The median home value is $2,000,000+. About 35% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lafayette, California?⌄
The average commute in Lafayette is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from