The Town FilesLafayette, Oregon
City in Yamhill County · population 4,423 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $417,100
- Household income
- $97,771
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 36.1
Lafayette is a city of 4,423 people in Yamhill County, Oregon. The median home is worth $417,100, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). It ranks better for families than 99% of Oregon towns, more of a college town than 96% of Oregon towns, easier by car than 93% of Oregon towns.
How Lafayette ranks
Percentile among Oregon towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Oregon towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lafayette is worth $417,100, above the typical Oregon town ($394,200). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $97,771, which is more affordable than 79% of Oregon towns. Median rent is $1,181 a month. 87.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lafayette | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $417,100 | $394,200 |
| Median rent | $1,181 | $1,312 |
| Median household income | $97,771 | $76,221 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 87.0% | 71.1% |
| Median year built | 2000 | 1981 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lafayette
| People | Lafayette | Typical Oregon town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 41.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.9% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 23.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 10.8% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 12.2% |
| Average commute | 33.3 min | 23.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 92.4% |
Weather in Lafayette
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 35.2°F. About 37.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.5 inches of snow (typical Oregon town: 3.1 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 47 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 Oregon town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 13, 2013 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 13, 2013.
Severe weather in Yamhill County since 1996
Yamhill County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4907: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4768: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 4, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4599: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 15, 2020 | Fire | DR-4562: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 10, 2020 | Fire | FM-5371: Chehalem Mountain Bald Peak Fire |
Jobs and pay in Yamhill County
Yamhill County had 39,371 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,993 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Lafayette itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Public schools in Lafayette
1 public school with 385 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wascher Elementary School | K-5 | 385 | 17.5 |
Towns near Lafayette
- Dayton, OR2.5 mi · 2,678 people · home $410,800
- McMinnville, OR4.6 mi · 34,319 people · home $432,800
- Dundee, OR5.5 mi · 3,238 people · home $493,100
- Newberg, OR8.5 mi · 25,138 people · home $472,100
- Woodburn, OR14.0 mi · 26,013 people · home $331,800
- Gervais, OR14.2 mi · 2,595 people · home $371,400
- Sherwood, OR15.2 mi · 20,450 people · home $602,100
- Hubbard, OR15.5 mi · 3,426 people · home $436,800
Lafayette questions
Is Lafayette, Oregon a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lafayette scores better for retirees than 19% of Oregon towns and quieter than 37%. 13.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Lafayette?
The median owner-occupied home in Lafayette is valued at $417,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $97,771, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,181 a month.
What is the weather like in Lafayette?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 35.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.6 inches of precipitation a year and 5.5 inches of snow.
Does Lafayette get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lafayette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 13, 2013. The typical Oregon 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)