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Living in
Lafayette.
About
Life in Lafayette
If you're considering Lafayette, understand that you're looking at a solidly middle-to-upper-class Denver suburb with good bones but also the typical Front Range trade-offs. The median home price around $686,500 and median rent at $2,121 reflect the broader Colorado Front Range market—you're paying for proximity to both Denver and the mountains, plus strong schools through Boulder Valley School District. Your 24-minute average commute is reasonable, and the unemployment rate sits at 3.8%, suggesting decent job availability, though many residents likely work in Boulder or Denver.
Lafayette at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.6%
Foreign-Born
10.8%
Broadband Internet
95.4%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Lafayette: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lafayette, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (37.7%), and 12.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.7%
of residents
65 and Older
16.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.2%
of households
Married Couples
49.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.41
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 20% above CO average
Rent, home values, and income in Lafayette
In Lafayette, rent runs 20% above the CO average, and home values are 27% above the CO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,258
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $664,650 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CO
Unemployment in Lafayette
Unemployment in Lafayette is close to the CO 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
Commute23.6 min avg
How Lafayette residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lafayette, most residents drive alone to work (60%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Major hub40.0M 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 14% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lafayette runs 14% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
284
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,586.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lafayette Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 30 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Boulder County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Boulder County, which includes Lafayette, the most common type is winter weather, with 30 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 48 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 42 | Winter Weather | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 53 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2021 | 34 | Winter Weather | $40,000 |
| 2020 | 36 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2019 | 44 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2018 | 35 | Winter Weather | 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.
2 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Boulder County, county-wide
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Boulder County, which includes Lafayette, is typically good — 213 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
48
Good Days
213
per year
Moderate Days
149
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Boulder County, county-wide
Climate88°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lafayette has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
68°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
48°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
16.0"
Annual Snowfall
65.0"
Hot Days/Year
53
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
149
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
85
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 19°F | 0.45" |
| Feb | 50°F | 20°F | 0.54" |
| Mar | 58°F | 28°F | 1.21" |
| Apr | 64°F | 35°F | 1.94" |
| May | 72°F | 44°F | 2.35" |
| Jun | 85°F | 53°F | 1.50" |
| Jul | 91°F | 59°F | 1.73" |
| Aug | 89°F | 57°F | 1.32" |
| Sep | 82°F | 49°F | 1.19" |
| Oct | 67°F | 37°F | 1.07" |
| Nov | 56°F | 27°F | 0.73" |
| Dec | 48°F | 19°F | 0.48" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lafayette
Lafayette has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Good Samaritan Medical Center Llc
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Centennial Peaks Hospital
Psychiatric · 3.9 mi away · Louisville
Adventhealth Avista
Acute Care Hospitals · 4 mi away · Louisville
Uchealth Broomfield Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.9 mi away · Broomfield
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.
Education17.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lafayette
Lafayette's student/teacher ratio is 17.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 63.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
63.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.4:1
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 Colorado Boulder
9.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 31,939 students · in-state tuition $17,513 · 74% graduate · median earnings $77,574 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,627 students · in-state tuition $47,840 · 57% graduate · median earnings $79,971 (10 yrs after entry)
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology
5.6 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 2-year · 397 students · in-state tuition $17,826 · 78% graduate · median earnings $64,753 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 339 students · in-state tuition $37,700 · 54% graduate · median earnings $36,917 (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: Rocky Mountain National Park, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lafayette
Lafayette has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Rocky Mountain National Park (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Rocky Mountain National Park
National Park
40 mi awayFlorissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
75 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lafayette
Lafayette Public Library
775 W Baseline Rd, 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, Colorado affordable?⌄
Lafayette's median rent is $2,121/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $119,040/year. Median home value is $686,500.
Is Lafayette, Colorado safe?⌄
Lafayette's violent crime rate was 284 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1587 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lafayette, Colorado?⌄
Lafayette has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lafayette, Colorado?⌄
The cost of living in Lafayette is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,121/month and median household income is $119,040/year. The median home value is $686,500. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lafayette, Colorado?⌄
The average commute in Lafayette is 24 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