Lafayette, California
Among the top 2% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 3% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 98% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 63% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 81% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 93% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- bottom 1% for monthly owner costs
Lafayette is a mid-size city in California with about 25,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, annual snowfall, and airport distance. It rates lower on monthly rent and monthly owner costs.
Official websiteci.lafayette.ca.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
84%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in0.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$219k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$76kbetter than 3% of US places
Home Value$1.9M100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$3kbetter than 1% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$4kbetter than 1% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.52%better than 87% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden20.78%better than 5% of US places
Unemployment6.3%better than 29% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)50°F89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation26.8 in20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days261 daysbetter than 79% of US places
Summer Humidity55°Fbetter than 83% of US places
Comfortable Days185 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk97.2better than 2% of US places
Air Quality32 AQIbetter than 89% of US places
School Quality75.8better than 72% of US places
Violent Crime244/100kbetter than 79% of US places
Property Crime1262/100kbetter than 38% of US places
Community
Population25,31094th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age45.467th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3872nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0259th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+464th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)75.3%36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.6%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.5%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)10.1%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.4%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 26% of US places
Walkability9.6/20better than 85% of US places
Airport Distance14 mibetter than 93% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access97.9%better than 90% of US places
Amenities Nearby124.85better than 60% of US places
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 83% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lafayette an affordable place to live?
- Lafayette is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $76k, better than 3% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lafayette?
- The median home value in Lafayette is $1.9M, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lafayette?
- Median household income in Lafayette is $219k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lafayette?
- Median gross rent in Lafayette is $3k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lafayette safe?
- Lafayette is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 244/100k (better than 79%). Property crime is 1262/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lafayette?
- Lafayette averages 69°F in July and 50°F in January, with 26.8 in of annual precipitation and about 261 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lafayette?
- Public-school quality in Lafayette is above average, scoring better than 72% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lafayette?
- The average one-way commute in Lafayette is 30 min.
Other places in Contra Costa County
Places near Lafayette
Compare Lafayette
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)