The Town Files

Lafayette County, Missouri

33,115 people. The median home is worth $216,500 (typical Missouri town: $153,900) and the median household earns $80,612.

Towns in Lafayette County

Towns in Lafayette County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Odessa5,593$238,200$100,02240.0
Higginsville4,817$166,100$81,03344.6
Lexington4,652$161,300$56,90537.2

People and housing

Lafayette CountyTypical Missouri town
Median home value$216,500$153,900
Median rent$928$855
Median household income$80,612$56,368
Median age40.938.6
Bachelor's degree or higher26.2%18.9%
Below the poverty line9.3%14.6%

Jobs and pay

8,809 jobs in 2024, average pay $44,138 a year.

Largest industries in Lafayette CountyManufacturing1,196 jobs · $50,359Retail1,008 jobs · $31,849Hotels & restaurants723 jobs · $18,565Construction602 jobs · $53,943Transportation & warehousing310 jobs · $53,457Professional & technical serv…290 jobs · $72,854
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Lafayette County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 2.9%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 482 storm events in Lafayette County from 1996 to 2026, with 3 deaths.

Storm events in Lafayette County by type since 1996Hail127Heat14Flood84Drought27Tornado16Ice Storm7Heavy Snow12Flash Flood24Winter Storm23Winter Weather5
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Lafayette County has been included in 25 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3482: Covid-19
July 9, 2019Severe StormDR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding
August 7, 2015Severe StormDR-4238: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
August 12, 2011FloodDR-4012: Flooding
June 30, 2011FloodEM-3325: Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).