Lafayette receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lafayette
Longmont
Opportunity
58 · Top 47%
vs48 · Bottom 32%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
59 · Bottom 11%
vs42 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 45%
vs53 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 28%
vs56 · Bottom 16%
Access
100 · Top 1%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
81 · Top 6%
vs71 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Lafayette | Longmont | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,602 | 99,406 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,040 | $90,671 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,261 | $49,333 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,307/sq mi | 3,397/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $686,500 | $572,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,121 | $1,816 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 62.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 63.5% | 47.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 1,572 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 15.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 100.0% | 56.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 68°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.4" | 33.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 28 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.61 | 16.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.0% | 42.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lafayette
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, tornado.
Longmont
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, tornado.
Full profiles: Lafayette, CO · Longmont, CO · How this is calculated: methodology