West Lafayette vs Zionsville
West Lafayette, Indiana versus Zionsville, Indiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
West Lafayette and Zionsville score about the same overall (51 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | West Lafayette | Zionsville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $30k | $153k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $50k |
| Home Value | $303k | $494k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 0.91% |
| Income Tax | 5.20% | 4.20% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.36% | 9.47% |
| Unemployment | 3.3% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.9 in | 41.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.9 in | 22.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 168 days | 168 days |
| Summer Humidity | 65°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 102 days | 85 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 47.7 | 70.2 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.9 | 57.3 |
| Violent Crime | 704/100k | 157/100k |
| Property Crime | 1020/100k | 365/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 44,861 | 30,832 |
| Median Age | 21.4 | 41.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.48 | 0.21 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.24 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+19 |
| White (%) | 66.5% | 87.5% |
| Black (%) | 3.6% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.9% | 2.8% |
| Asian (%) | 21.0% | 4.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 2.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 5.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 60 mi | 20 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.8% | 95.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 52.38 | 18.16 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is West Lafayette or Zionsville more affordable?
- West Lafayette has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with West Lafayette's $43k and Zionsville's $50k. Median rent is $1k in West Lafayette versus $2k in Zionsville.
- Is West Lafayette or Zionsville safer?
- Zionsville has the lower violent crime rate. West Lafayette reports 704/100k and Zionsville reports 157/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in West Lafayette or Zionsville?
- The median home value is $303k in West Lafayette and $494k in Zionsville, so homes are more affordable in West Lafayette.