Lafayette ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States. The population was 70,783 at the 2020 census. It sits across the Wabash River from West Lafayette, home to Purdue University, which plays a major role in both communities. Together, Lafayette and West Lafayette make up the core of the Lafayette metropolitan area, home to 235,066 people in 2020.
Lafayette was founded in 1825 on the southeast bank of the Wabash River near where the river becomes impassable for riverboats upstream, though a French fort and trading post had existed since 1717 on the opposite bank and three miles downstream. It was named for the French general Marquis de Lafayette, a Revolutionary War hero. Lafayette is northwest of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago.
History When European explorers arrived at this area, it was inhabited by a tribe of Miami Native Americans known as the Ouiatenon or Weas. In 1717, the French government established Fort Ouiatenon across the Wabash River and south of present-day Lafayette. The fort became the center of trade for fur trappers, merchants and Indians. An annual reenactment and festival known as Feast of the Hunters' Moon is held there each autumn.
The town of Lafayette was platted in May 1825 by William Digby, a trader. It was designated as the county seat of the newly formed Tippecanoe County the following year. Like many frontier towns, Lafayette was named for General Lafayette, a French officer who significantly aided George Washington's Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Lafayette toured the United States in 1824 and 1825.
In its earliest days, Lafayette was a shipping center on the Wabash River. In 1838, Henry Leavitt Ellsworth, the first United States Patent Commissioner, published a booklet titled Valley of the Upper Wabash, Indiana, with Hints on Its Agricultural Advantages, to promote settlement of the region. By 1845, Ellsworth had purchased of farmland around Lafayette and moved there from Connecticut to supervise land sales.A Day in the Life of Tippecanoe County , Tippecanoe County Historical Association By 1847 Ellsworth was distributing broadsides looking for farmers to purchase his farmland. He became president of the Tippecanoe County Agricultural Society in April 1851 – despite some local resentment over what was called "the Yale Crowd" – but he was defeated the same year when he ran for the Indiana House of Representatives.A Day in the Life of Tippecanoe County, Tippecanoe County Historical Association Ellsworth Street and Ellsworth Historic District are named for him.During the period of Ellsworth's residence in Lafayette, two of his children came to national attention. His son Henry William Ellsworth was confirmed as United States chargé d'affaires at Stockholm, Sweden, in January 1846; and Ellsworth's daughter Annie suggested the words of the first telegraph message sent by her father's friend Samuel F. B. Morse in May 1844.
The Wabash and Erie Canal in the 1840s stimulated trade and affirmed Lafayette's regional prominence. Railroads arrived in the town in the 1850s, connecting it with other major markets. The Monon Railroad connected Lafayette with other sections of Indiana.
Lafayette was the site of the first official airmail delivery in the United States on 17 August 1859, when John Wise piloted a balloon starting on the Lafayette courthouse grounds. Wise hoped to reach New York; however, weather conditions forced the balloon down near Crawfordsville, Indiana, and the mail reached its final destination by train. In 1959, the US Postal Service issued a 7¢ airmail stamp commemorating the centennial of the event.
Geography
Lafayette is located in Fairfield and Wea Townships.
According to the 2010 census, Lafayette has a total area of , all land.
Neighborhoods Neighborhoods include:
9th Street Hill Centennial Columbian Park Downtown Ellsworth Romig Glen Acres Hanna Hedgewood Highland Park Jefferson Jesco Hills Estates Lincoln Linnwood Monon Orchard Heights Perrin Potter Hollow St. Lawrence-McAllister St. Mary's Valley Center Vinton Highlands Vinton Wabash Wallace Triangle
Historic neighborhoods include Ninth Street Hill Neighborhood Historic District and Upper Main Street Historic District.
Climate In recent years, temperatures in Lafayette have ranged from an average low of in January to an average high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January of both 1963 and 1994, and December 1989, and a record high of was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in July. At most snowfall is
Demographics
Lafayette is the larger principal city of the Lafayette-Frankfort CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Lafayette metropolitan area (Benton, Carroll, and Tippecanoe counties) and the Frankfort micropolitan area (Clinton County),Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Components , Office of Management and Budget, 11 May 2007. Accessed 1 August 2008.Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Components , Office of Management and Budget, 11 May 2007. Accessed 1 August 2008.Combined Statistical Areas and Component Core Based Statistical Areas , Office of Management and Budget, 11 May 2007. Accessed 1 August 2008. which had a combined population of 212,408 at the 2000 United States census.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Lafayette had a population of 70,783. The median age was 33.3 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.6 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 30,920 households in Lafayette, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 32.4% were married-couple households, 25.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 37.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 33,659 housing units, of which 8.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 50,306 71.1% Black or African American 7,458 10.5% American Indian and Alaska Native 389 0.5% Asian 1,303 1.8% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 17 0.0% Some other race 4,862 6.9% Two or more races 6,448 9.1% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 10,507 14.8%
2010 census As of the 2010 United States census, there were 67,140 people, 28,545 households, and 15,863 families in the city. The population density was . There were 31,260 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 74.2% White, 11.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1% Asian, 0.0% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.3% of the population.
There were 28,545 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.4% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 3.00.
The median age in the city was 31.9 years. 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64, and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census, there were 56,397 people, 24,060 households, and 13,666 families in the city. The population density was . There were 25,602 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.91% White; 3.22% African American; 0.37% Native American; 1.22% Asian; 0.04% Pacific Islander; 4.61% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.11% of the population.
There were 24,060 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 42.5% were married couples living together; 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present; and 43.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 individuals and the average family size was 2.98.
The city population contained 23.2% under the age of 18; 14.2% from 18 to 24; 31.3% from 25 to 44; 19.3% from 45 to 64; and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,859, and the median income for a family was $45,480. Males had a median income of $32,892 versus $23,049 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,217. About 8.0% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Companies located in Lafayette include: Wabash National, world's largest manufacturer of semi-truck trailers Subaru of Indiana Automotive, the only non-Japanese producer of Subaru vehicles. Evonik (Tippecanoe Laboratories) pharmaceuticals/chemicals Primient, corn wet mill and refinery producing corn syrup Landis+Gyr, manufacturer of electric meters for global ANSI markets Caterpillar, Large Engine Center
Arts and culture
Festivals A Taste of Tippecanoe
Public library The Lafayette area has four branch locations of the Tippecanoe County Public Library:
Downtown Library Wyandotte Branch West Lafayette Klondike Branch Wea Prairie Branch
Points of interest Haan Mansion Museum of Indiana Art
Notable buildings
Judge Cyrus Ball House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places James H. Ward House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places Temple Israel, 17 South 7th St. - one of the nation's oldest surviving synagogue buildings. Trinity United Methodist Church (Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church until 1969) – the first church congregation in the Lafayette area. Its current building was erected in 1869 by William Heath and has remained intact to this day. Tippecanoe Mall - the city's main shopping center. Tippecanoe County Courthouse - built 1882–1884 at a cost of around $500,000 (double the original estimate).
Government
The government consists of a mayor – elected in a citywide vote – and a city council of nine members. Six are elected from individual districts; three are elected at-large.
Education Colleges Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana A location of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, one of Purdue University's academic colleges
Public school K-12 public education in the majority of the Lafayette city limits is provided by the Lafayette School Corporation, which operates Jefferson High School and other schools. The Tippecanoe School Corporation covers some outerlying portions of the Lafayette city limits; - Text list its schools are nearby. The Tippecanoe district operates McCutcheon High School and William Henry Harrison High School, which cover these outerlying parts. - Note the colors and feeder patterns related to the colors.
New Community School was a tuition-free elementary charter school (sponsored by Ball State University) located on the north side of Lafayette; it closed in 2016.
Beacon Academy was a charter school operated by the Lafayette School Corporation in West Lafayette; it closed in 2018.
Private Elementary
Lafayette Christian School