Business district, Lafayette, Minnesota - DPLA - 882b4ae1a87d486306d09ce654cb019f, 1907–1910
Lafayette’s story
168 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1907.
- 1858Lafayette is settled
LafayetteMN
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Public domain · Public domain
Population
462
2025 Census estimate · −5.9% since 2020
Typical home
$255K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$89K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
86
A commuter town
Is Lafayette a good place to live?
Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 9 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Lafayette. Lafayette has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Lafayette stand out
Where Lafayette beats most towns.
Small town
462 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Lafayette TownshipLafayette
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lafayette: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lafayette, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLafayette water system6 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lafayette’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereNicollet County Govt CenterNicollet County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP code5605456054 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lafayette.
Work & commute
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Lafayette’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Lafayette for work: only 1% work in town. Jobs based in Lafayette fell to 86 in 2023, 36 fewer than in 2013. 3.9% of residents live below the poverty line in Lafayette, below both Minnesota’s towns (7%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).
1%work in town
| Lafayette | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Lafayette1%
New Ulm36%
Mankato10%
Courtland5%
Courtland Township3%
13 mi
median commute distance
86
jobs based in Lafayette
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
The typical home in Lafayette is valued at about $255K
The typical Lafayette home is worth about $255,000, up 5.5% in a year, 27% below the Minnesota typical home. 84% of households own their home in Lafayette, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 75% and U.S. towns at 73%. Lafayette’s median rent is $980 a month.
$255KZillow home value
| Lafayette | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $980 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Lafayette$255K
Minnesota$349K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Lafayette, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Lafayette has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 6° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–58°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Lafayette is
Lafayette beats the Minnesota average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 21% of adults binge drink in Lafayette.
| Lafayette | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 75% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
6 better26 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Lafayette | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.6% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.5% | 11.4% |
New Ulm Medical Center
10.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Lafayette
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →Wanda Gág House and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lafayette. Close and well known come first.
10 mi MuseumWanda Gág House
10 mi MuseumBrown County Museum27 mi GardenSibley Park37 mi GardenAlexander Ramsey Park
30 mi MuseumRenville County Historical Museum
12 mi GardenGaylord City ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Wanda Gág House: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Brown County Museum: Flip Schulke, Public domain · Renville County Historical Museum: Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gaylord City Park: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lafayette
16pages on Lafayette
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Lafayette
About 1 of every 100 Lafayette residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Lafayette for work
Where Lafayette’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
86jobs based in Lafayette
1%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Lafayette
City in Minnesota, United States
Lafayette is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 492 at the 2020 census. It is a farming community just outside the larger town of New Ulm. Lafayette is part of the Mankato-North Mankato Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,010 ft
- ZIP code
- 56054
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Lafayette
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lafayette, MN a good place to live?
Lafayette has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.