Population 5,317 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Lafayette
Household size in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
The average household in West Lafayette has 2.45 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Ohio as a whole looks much the same. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.9 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.9 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
West Lafayette skews older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.4, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the northeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.3% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in West Lafayette (12.8%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.5 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in West Lafayette
Renters in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.2% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.2% of households in West Lafayette rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 48.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in West Lafayette: just 5.0% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1965 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in West Lafayette is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1964 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $479 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $604 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $640 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $715 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$236 | +$377 | +$606 |
The median renter in West Lafayette pays $715 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $236 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 34.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in West Lafayette
Bachelor's degrees in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in West Lafayette have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 14.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 2.2 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people, only 21 have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.6% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.8% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.6% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in eight adults in West Lafayette never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 372 Ohio cities with 5,000+ people, only 29 have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in West Lafayette
| Period | West Lafayette | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.7% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.9%, unemployment in West Lafayette is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Ohio overall (4.9%). Unemployment has fallen 4.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
West Lafayette compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Lafayette | 2.45 | 42.8 | 12.8% | 20.2% | 5.0% | 1969 | $715 | 14.5% | 86.6% | 5.9% |
| Plainfield | 2.49 | 45.4 | 7.7% | 7.1% | 4.5% | 1965 | $836 | 14.3% | 90.4% | 15.6% |
| Coalport | 2.21 | 49.7 | 10.7% | 18.6% | 13.8% | 1976 | $882 | 12.8% | 84.8% | 12.2% |
| Bakersville | 2.37 | 44.9 | 10.2% | 23.6% | 15.5% | 1967 | $920 | 8.6% | 73.1% | 0.8% |
| Fresno | 2.97 | 36.4 | 10.0% | 15.4% | 7.4% | 1984 | $1,002 | 14.7% | 63.4% | 1.0% |
| Coshocton | 2.40 | 41.6 | 15.6% | 37.7% | 11.7% | 1960 | $766 | 17.5% | 88.1% | 7.6% |
| Newcomerstown | 2.25 | 42.3 | 14.2% | 35.3% | 9.2% | 1966 | $838 | 12.9% | 84.2% | 12.9% |
| Tyndall | 2.17 | 54.6 | 5.7% | 13.6% | 4.1% | 1980 | $886 | 20.7% | 92.3% | 7.0% |
| Birds Run | 2.25 | 43.2 | 10.6% | 7.0% | 15.6% | 1978 | $1,004 | 7.4% | 87.0% | 0.7% |
| Keene | 3.88 | 32.9 | 6.1% | 9.1% | 7.4% | 1984 | $857 | 15.9% | 61.0% | 3.4% |
| Booth | 2.54 | 38.7 | 8.6% | 8.5% | 9.1% | 1984 | $925 | 14.1% | 83.5% | 8.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: West York, PA · Denmark, SC · White Pigeon, MI · White Cloud, MI · Desert Edge, CA · DeWitt, AR · Dexter, NM · Dittmer, MO · Westover, MD · Dixon, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up West Lafayette. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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