Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lafayette, Indiana
A $158,000 home here costs
$1,380per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $59,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $875. The real number is $505 higher every month, 58% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Tippecanoe County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Lafayette against Tippecanoe County and Indiana
| Measure | Lafayette | Tippecanoe County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,600 | $217,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,038 | $1,355 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.659% | 0.623% |
| Median gross rent | $1,039 | $1,088 |
| Population | 70,650 | 187,399 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lafayette sits in Tippecanoe County, which averages a high of 83.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.2°F in its coldest, with 37" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 884 cooling and 5,824 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Tippecanoe County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Tippecanoe County
Full Tippecanoe County cost breakdown · Every county in Indiana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Lafayette averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Lafayette every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Lafayette I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lafayette?
A $158,000 home in Lafayette, Indiana costs approximately $1,380 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $875 principal and interest, $87 property tax, $67 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $132 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lafayette?
Lafayette has an effective property tax rate of 0.659%, based on a median home value of $157,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,038. That is higher than the Tippecanoe County average of 0.623%.
What is the average home price in Lafayette?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lafayette, Indiana is $157,600, against $217,600 across Tippecanoe County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lafayette?
Median gross rent in Lafayette is $1,039 a month, against $1,380 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Lafayette?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Lafayette, Indiana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $59,000 a year. That covers the full $1,380 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Lafayette, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Indiana.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.