Should I Move To
West Lafayette, Indiana is a population of 44,861 . Cost of living is affordable — 11% below the national average, with median rent around $1,056/month and median household income of $30,317. Overall it earns an UrbRank Score of 49/100 (grade D), ranking #522 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
West Lafayette's composite cost-of-living index sits at 89 (US average = 100), placing it in the affordable tier. At $1,056/month median rent against $30,317 median household income, residents spend about 42% of household income on rent — well above the 30% rule, suggesting housing pressure for the typical earner. Median home value is $303,300.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →West Lafayette has a cold-winter climate — summer highs average 82°F and winter lows average 21°F, with 39 inches of precipitation annually. Car-dependent for most errands, with pockets of walkability downtown. Crime data isn't available for this city. Air quality is good (AQI 40).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
West Lafayette is a moderate fit for families. It earns a Score of 68/100 (grade B-) on the families profile. Especially strong on education (97/100), weakest on climate (25/100).
West Lafayette is a less obvious fit for retirees. It earns a Score of 52/100 (grade C-) on the retirees profile. Especially strong on education (97/100), weakest on climate (25/100).
West Lafayette is a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns a Score of 58/100 (grade C) on the remote workers profile. Especially strong on education (97/100), weakest on climate (25/100).
West Lafayette is a less obvious fit for young professionals. It earns a Score of 45/100 (grade D) on the young professionals profile. Especially strong on education (97/100), weakest on climate (25/100).
West Lafayette, Indiana has an overall UrbRank Score of 49/100 (grade D), ranked #522 nationally. The score is a weighted average across affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
West Lafayette's cost-of-living index is 89 (US average = 100), so it's affordable — 11% below the national average. Median rent is $1,056/month.
West Lafayette has a cold-winter climate. Summer highs average 82°F and winter lows average 21°F, with 39 inches of annual precipitation.
West Lafayette has a Walk Score of 39/100. Car-dependent for most errands, with pockets of walkability downtown.
West Lafayette has a population of 44,861, with 71% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher and a median age of 21.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put West Lafayette side-by-side with any other US city — housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality of life metrics displayed together. The leaderboard pages also show how West Lafayette ranks for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare West Lafayette with other Indiana cities scored on UrbRank.
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