The Town FilesLafayette, California
City in Contra Costa County · population 25,391 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $2,000,001
- Household income
- $228,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.7
Lafayette is a city of 25,391 people in Contra Costa County, California. The median home is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more upscale than 96% of California towns, better for families than 91% of California towns, better transit than 90% of California towns.
How Lafayette ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lafayette is worth $2,000,001, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.8 times the median household income of $228,250, which is more affordable than 18% of California towns. Median rent is $2,892 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lafayette | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,892 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $228,250 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 77.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Lafayette
| People | Lafayette | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 79.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.0% | — |
| Work from home | 42.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Lafayette
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 41.7°F. About 17.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lafayette since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 18, 1989 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 18, 1989.
Severe weather in Contra Costa County since 1996
Contra Costa County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
| April 1, 2017 | Flood | DR-4308: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County had 373,992 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,234 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Lafayette itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Lafayette
6 public schools with 4,462 students, about 21.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acalanes High | 9-12 | 1,250 | 19.8 |
| M. H. Stanley Middle | 6-8 | 1,110 | 19.1 |
| Burton Valley Elementary | K-5 | 680 | 24.3 |
| Lafayette Elementary | K-5 | 509 | 24.2 |
| Springhill Elementary | K-5 | 464 | 20.2 |
| Happy Valley Elementary | K-5 | 449 | 23.6 |
Towns near Lafayette
- Saranap, CA2.4 mi · 5,830 people · home $1,453,300
- Orinda, CA2.8 mi · 19,514 people · home $1,863,200
- Moraga, CA3.1 mi · 16,870 people · home $1,663,200
- Reliez Valley, CA3.5 mi · 3,354 people · home $1,740,200
- Contra Costa Centre, CA4.3 mi · 6,808 people · home $733,300
- Walnut Creek, CA4.4 mi · 70,127 people · home $1,057,300
- San Miguel, CA4.5 mi · 3,591 people · home $1,649,100
- Pleasant Hill, CA5.0 mi · 34,613 people · home $1,077,100
Lafayette questions
Is Lafayette, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lafayette scores better for retirees than 81% of California towns and quieter than 53%. 21.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).
How much does a house cost in Lafayette?
The median owner-occupied home in Lafayette is valued at $2,000,001 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $228,250, so homes cost about 8.8 times income. Median rent is $2,892 a month.
What is the weather like in Lafayette?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 41.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Lafayette get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lafayette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 18, 1989. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)