Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety93#69/924
Economy36#588/925
Housing26#682/925
Health79#196/925
Healthcare51#457/923
Environment51#450/917
Education78#201/925
Infrastructure95#51/925
Community50#459/925
Leisure & amenities43#525/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Distance to an Amtrak station · low7 mi
93/100Indiana 29 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Public transit commuters · high1.9%
93/100Indiana 0.6%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301
Suicide rate · low11.6 /100k
93/100Indiana 16.1 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Flu vaccinations · high52.1%
91/100Indiana 47.0%United States 44.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
New homes permitted · high8.0 /1k
91/100Indiana 3.9 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Firearm deaths · low8.8 /100k
90/100Indiana 14.6 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Rent-burdened households · high57.6%
5/100Indiana 48.1%United States 51.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25070
Child care cost burden · high39.9%
7/100Indiana 30.8%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Rent as share of income · high33.2%
9/100Indiana 29.1%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071
Voter turnout · low52.3%
11/100Indiana 59.4%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Grocery stores · low1.0 /10k
15/100Indiana 1.3 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low1.0 /10k
17/100Indiana 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
6% (2021) → 37% (Nov 2025–Oct 2026)
+31 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Child care cost burdenWorsening
22.4% (2020 & 2021) → 39.9% (2023 & 2024)
+17 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
21.8 /100k (2021) → 9.3 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−57%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
65.9% (2010 & 2021) → 76.1% (2022 & 2024)
+10 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
New homes permittedImproving
5.4 /1k (2021) → 8.0 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+49%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
23.0% (Dec 2021) → 30.8% (Aug 2026)
+7.8 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area improved on 13 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 7. 6 moved within the margin of error and 3 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved13

Libraries+7.8%0.7 /10k → 0.8 /10k
Uninsured−2.1 points8.9% → 6.7%
Overdose deaths−51%19.1 /100k → 9.3 /100k
Suicides−8.5%12.6 /100k → 11.6 /100k
Homicides−44%4.5 /100k → 2.5 /100k

Declined7

Price / income+0.9×2.7× → 3.6×
Grocery stores−13%1.2 /10k → 1.0 /10k
Transit use−0.7 points2.6% → 1.9%
Restaurants−6.9%8.9 /10k → 8.3 /10k
Rent burden+4.6 points53.0% → 57.6%

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.0 /10k2020	3.5 /10k2025	+15%	Improved	66%
Average commute time	19.3 min2015-2019	19.2 min2020-2024	−0.0 min	Within the margin of error	66%
Bachelor's degree or higher	34.5%2015-2019	36.0%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Within the margin of error	22%
Broadband subscriptions	82.9%2015-2019	90.5%2020-2024	+7.6 points	Improved	31%
Child poverty rate	15.9%2015-2019	15.7%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	25%
Distance to an airport	59 mi2020	59 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	82%
Drug overdose deaths	19.1 /100k2020	9.3 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−51%	Improved	82%
Effective property tax rate	0.75%2015-2019	0.66%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Little change	36%
Firearm deaths	10.1 /100k2020	8.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−13%	Improved	71%
Grocery stores	1.2 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	−13%	Declined	18%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.1 /10k2020	1.2 /10k2025	+5.8%	Improved	54%
High school diploma or higher	91.2%2015-2019	91.9%2020-2024	+0.6 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Home price to income ratio	2.7×2015-2019	3.6×2020-2024	+0.9×	Declined	15%
Homicide rate	4.5 /100k2020	2.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−44%	Improved	72%
Income adjusted for local prices	$44,2692019	$56,5732024	+28%	Improved	21%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4612015-2019	0.4672020-2024	+0.006	Within the margin of error	36%
Median household income	$53,3212015-2019	$62,0112020-2024	+16%	Improved	6%
New business applications	7.8 /1k2020	9.4 /1k2025	+22%	Improved	18%
Pharmacies	1.2 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	−17%	Declined	29%
Poverty rate	17.4%2015-2019	17.7%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	22%
Public libraries	0.7 /10k2019	0.8 /10k2024	+7.8%	Improved	89%
Public transit commuters	2.6%2015-2019	1.9%2020-2024	−0.7 points	Declined	25%
Rent as share of income	31.6%2015-2019	33.2%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Declined	26%
Rent-burdened households	53.0%2015-2019	57.6%2020-2024	+4.6 points	Declined	20%
Restaurants and bars	8.9 /10k2020	8.3 /10k2025	−6.9%	Declined	20%
Suicide rate	12.6 /100k2020	11.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−8.5%	Improved	76%
Traffic deaths	10.5 /100k2015-2019	10.3 /100k2020-2024	−1.3%	Little change	65%
Unemployment rate	6.4%2020	3.4%2025	−3 points	Improved	52%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	8.9%2015-2019	6.7%2020-2024	−2.1 points	Improved	87%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area itself moved −1.2 points in standing on average over the same 28 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

226,805 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 20–29 men (−0.9 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

226,805 residents

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

White75%170,042
Black5.2%11,787
Hispanic or Latino9.4%21,251

Education

132,233 residents (±127)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

No high school diploma8.1%10,766
High school or GED31%40,635
Some college16%21,747

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

90,706 households (±719)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

Under $25k20%17,740
$25k–50k22%19,516
$50k–75k17%15,450
$75k–100k13%11,801
$100k–150k16%14,241
$150k–200k6.2%5,608
$200k or more7.0%6,350

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−3.6 points).

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

90,706 households (±719)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

Own58%52,637
Rent42%38,069

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

36,744 households (±1,042)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

Under $75014%5,158
$750–1,00024%8,877
$1,000–1,50042%15,491

Home values

52,637 homes (±926)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

Under $150k27%14,044
$150k–250k30%15,916
$250k–400k28%14,492

Age of homes

97,674 homes (±157)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

2010 or later14%13,873
2000–200916%15,590
1980–199923%21,982

Size of homes

97,674 homes (±157)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

Studio2.7%2,610
1 bedroom12%11,940
2 bedrooms23%22,792

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

108,324 workers (±1,822)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

Drive alone74%80,017
Carpool7.6%8,284
Public transit1.9%2,083
Walk4.7%5,132
Bike0.7%†744
Work from home10%11,214
Other0.8%850

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+7.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

97,110 workers (±1,762)

Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area
United States share

Under 15 min38%37,268
15–29 min44%42,417
30–44 min11%10,638

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN employ 27,290 people. 3 pay a median above the US median and 7 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators6,280 jobs	6,280	$63,140US $44,650	+41%	6.8×
Fast Food and Counter Workers4,260 jobs	4,260	$28,230US $31,200	−10%	1.68×
Retail Salespersons2,650 jobs	2,650	$30,670US $35,410	−13%	1.03×
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand2,470 jobs	2,470	$37,310US $40,240	−7%	1.27×
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners2,100 jobs	2,100	$38,450US $36,840	+4%	1.45×
Registered Nurses2,080 jobs	2,080	$80,790US $97,550	−17%	0.94×
Office Clerks, General2,040 jobs	2,040	$42,840US $45,010	−5%	1.26×
Cashiers1,910 jobs	1,910	$29,540US $32,880	−10%	0.94×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides1,780 jobs	1,780	$35,710US $35,800	0%	0.63×
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers1,720 jobs	1,720	$74,770US $74,450	0%	3.88×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Business figures are unavailable right now. Please try again shortly.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $32.4M on contracts performed in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area: $142 per resident (US $2,007).

Obligations: $32.4M; +24% vs FY2025
Per resident: $142; US $2,007
Sole-source: 12%; US 30%
Single offer: 23%; US 8.7%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Federal Aviation Administration$7M22%
Department of the Navy$5.8M18%
Food and Drug Administration$4.6M14%
Department of the Air Force$4.3M13%
Federal Emergency Management Agency$3.4M11%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$2.3M7.2%
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service$1.2M3.7%
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration$925.6K2.9%

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

21.6MFY2017
20.9MFY2018
28.9MFY2019
20.4MFY2020
19.2MFY2021
26.3MFY2022
36.1MFY2023
30M

Top industries (NAICS)

Scientific research and development services · 5417$13.4M41%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$10M31%
Colleges, universities, and professional schools · 6113$3.5M11%
Other professional, scientific, and technical services · 5419$1.8M5.7%
Other support services · 5619$851.5K2.6%

Largest awards

ADAVANCED AIRCRAFT MS&A AND DIGITAL ENGINEERING$18.2M
PC KRAUSE & ASSOCIATES INC· Tippecanoe County, IN· Research & development· Sep 13, 2022 – May 18, 2026· FA865022C2600
SBIR III - DEPLOYABLE PASSIVE COOLING$17.7M
PC KRAUSE & ASSOCIATES INC· Tippecanoe County, IN· Research & development· Jun 11, 2021 – Mar 11, 2026· FA865021C5018
THE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUIREMENT IS TO PROVIDE MATERIALS COMPATIBILITY TESTING IN SUPPORT OF THE ELIMINATE AVIATION GASOLINE LEAD EMISSIONS (EAGLE) AND PISTON AVIATION FUELS INITIATIVE (PAFI) PROGRAMS.$6.6M
PURDUE UNIVERSITY· Tippecanoe County, IN· Professional services· Sep 22, 2026 – Sep 22, 2026· 697DCK26C00255

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 9, 2026, loaded Oct 9, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $1.3B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area: $5,669 per resident (US $12,975).

Assistance · FY2026: $1.3B; −8.2% vs FY2025
Per resident: $5,669; US $12,975
Loan face value: $61.1M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.7%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$714.6M55%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$82.6M6.4%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$66.7M5.2%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$59M4.6%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$38M2.9%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$24.1M1.9%
93.859 · Biomedical Research and Research Training$15.1M1.2%
10.990 · Farmer Bridge Assistance Program$14.6M1.1%

Top recipients (organizations)

PURDUE UNIVERSITY$234.3M18%
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN
INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$32.3M2.5%
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
LAFAYETTE HOUSING AUTHORITY$11.5M0.9%
LAFAYETTE, IN
BAUER FAMILY RESOURCES$7.9M0.6%
LAFAYETTE, IN
RIGGS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER INC$2.9M

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$880.2M68%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$78.1M6.0%
Department of Veterans Affairs
National Institutes of Health$66.2M5.1%
Department of Health and Human Services
National Science Foundation$47.3M3.7%
Department of Education$44.7M

Assistance by fiscal year

1.5BFY2021
1.2BFY2022
1.3BFY2023
1.3BFY2024
1.4BFY2025
1.3BFY2026

County aggregates

74%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 8, 2026, loaded Oct 8, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Indiana

Areas based in Indiana, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-10-06
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M29200

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved13

Declined7

Metro and micro areas like Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Indiana

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved13

Declined7

Household income

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought