Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette (/ˌlɑːfiːˈɛt, ˌlæf-/ LAH-fee-ET, LAF-ee-ET) is a city in and is the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, located 63 miles (101 km) northwest of Indianapolis and 125 miles (201 km) southeast of Chicago. According to the 2020 census, the population of Lafayette was 70,783. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which contributes significantly to both communities. Together, they form the core of the Lafayette metropolitan area, which had a population of 235,066 in 2020.
Lafayette, Indiana | |
|---|---|
Downtown Lafayette and the Riehle Plaza and CityBus depot | |
| Nickname: "Star City" | |
Lafayette Lafayette | |
| Coordinates: 40°24′02″N 86°52′43″W | |
| Country | United States of America |
| State | Indiana |
| County | Tippecanoe |
| Townships | Fairfield, Perry, Sheffield, Wea |
| Platted | 1825 |
| Incorporated | 1853 |
| Founded by | William Digby |
| Named for | General Lafayette |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Tony Roswarski (D) |
| Area | |
| • City | 29.50 sq mi (76.41 km2) |
| • Land | 29.38 sq mi (76.09 km2) |
| • Water | 0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2) |
| • Metro | 904.6 sq mi (2,343 km2) |
| Elevation | 663 ft (202 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • City | 70,783 |
| • Density | 2,409.39/sq mi (930.27/km2) |
| • Metro | 223,716 (205th) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code | 47901, 47904, 47905, 47909 |
| Area code | 765 |
| Interstate Highways | I-65 |
| U.S. Highways |
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| Major state roads | |
| Waterways | Wabash River |
| Airports | Purdue University Airport (West Lafayette) |
| Public transit | CityBus |
| FIPS code | 18-40788 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395583 |
| Website | www |
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.