Poverty and living standards in Lafayette, Indiana: official figures
17.8% of residents of Lafayette (12,411 people) had incomes below the federal poverty line in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 178th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 12.5%; Indiana: 12.3%).
How many children live in poverty in Lafayette?
25.8% of children under 18 in Lafayette lived below the poverty line in 2020-2024 (4,199 children), 130th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 16.1%; Indiana: 16.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the poverty rate for older people in Lafayette?
By age, the poverty rate in Lafayette was 33.8% for children under 6 and 11.9% for residents aged 60 and over in 2020-2024 (US: 17.2% and 11.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Lafayette live in deep poverty?
6,675 people in Lafayette, 9.6% of residents, had incomes below half the poverty line in 2020-2024, 134th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.0%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Lafayette are cost-burdened?
52.7% of renting households in Lafayette spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2020-2024 (8,600 households), 412th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 51.1%; Indiana: 48.1%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Lafayette spend half their income on rent?
19.9% of renting households in Lafayette spent half or more of their income on rent and utilities, 82nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 25.9%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Lafayette are food insecure?
An estimated 18.2% of adults in Lafayette experienced food insecurity in the past year, joint 281st highest of 592 US cities of 50,000 or more with an estimate, and 14.2% housing insecurity (CDC PLACES model-based estimate for 2023, age-adjusted).
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · saved copyHow Lafayette compares with other cities in the United States
Residents below the poverty line (2020-2024)
Lafayette ranks 178 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 175 | Tulare | 17.9% |
| 176 | Compton | 17.9% |
| 177 | New York | 17.9% |
| 178 | Lafayette | 17.8% |
| 179 | Wichita Falls | 17.7% |
| 180 | St. Joseph | 17.7% |
| 181 | Winston-Salem | 17.7% |
Children under 18 below the poverty line (2020-2024)
Lafayette ranks 130 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Children under 18 below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 127 | Winston-Salem | 25.9% |
| 128 | Huntington Park | 25.8% |
| 129 | San Bernardino | 25.8% |
| 130 | Lafayette | 25.8% |
| 131 | Fort Myers | 25.7% |
| 132 | Columbus | 25.5% |
| 133 | Apple Valley | 25.5% |
Residents with incomes below half the poverty line (2020-2024)
Lafayette ranks 134 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Residents with incomes below half the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 131 | Norman | 9.6% |
| 132 | Tucson | 9.6% |
| 133 | Fort Collins | 9.6% |
| 134 | Lafayette | 9.6% |
| 135 | Baytown | 9.5% |
| 136 | Brownsville | 9.5% |
| 137 | Portsmouth | 9.5% |
Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent (2020-2024)
Lafayette ranks 412 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Renting households spending 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 409 | Yuba City | 52.8% |
| 410 | Pasco | 52.7% |
| 411 | Tempe | 52.7% |
| 412 | Lafayette | 52.7% |
| 413 | Troy | 52.7% |
| 414 | Greenville | 52.6% |
| 415 | Reno | 52.6% |
Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) (2023)
Lafayette ranks 283 of 592, highest first.
| Rank | City | Adults experiencing food insecurity (age-adjusted model estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| 280 | Taunton | 18.3% |
| 281 | Green Bay | 18.2% |
| 282 | Santa Fe | 18.2% |
| 283 | Lafayette | 18.2% |
| 284 | Mableton | 18.1% |
| 285 | Bayonne | 18.1% |
| 286 | Kannapolis | 18.1% |
More on Lafayette: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: PLACES: Place Data (GIS Friendly Format), 2025 release: model-based age-adjusted prevalence among adults, for every place (data.cdc.gov API, columns used), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2174bcc660f…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B17020: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months by Age (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 e79a292f34605560506b7f4b5c8ea242c9d6e203c8e95ba675565ddb7758571e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 41bab025d213…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C17002: Ratio of Income to Poverty Level in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 dc3dc675113683ec3ff2a0e29a840f43e03268151d7f14b922658d7306da5187), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 31aa364bfddf…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25070: Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income in the Past 12 Months (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 862ccc17d913305d11e6f802ce4518d76b30585ea0b05b251cd8cf21f8661386), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4f8d499d9e95…)
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