The Town FilesLafayette, New Jersey
Township in Sussex County · population 2,358 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $490,200
- Household income
- $129,038
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 47.7
Lafayette is a township of 2,358 people in Sussex County, New Jersey. The median home is worth $490,200, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). It ranks quieter than 96% of New Jersey towns, easier by car than 95% of New Jersey towns, better for families than 91% of New Jersey towns.
How Lafayette ranks
Percentile among New Jersey towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Jersey towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lafayette is worth $490,200, above the typical New Jersey town ($435,600). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $129,038, which is more affordable than 50% of New Jersey towns. Median rent is $1,891 a month. 88.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lafayette | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $490,200 | $435,600 |
| Median rent | $1,891 | $1,774 |
| Median household income | $129,038 | $111,891 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 88.0% | 80.8% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1969 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Lafayette
| People | Lafayette | Typical New Jersey town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 18.3% |
| Under 18 | 19.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.2% | 44.1% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 5.7% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 16.3% |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 30.4 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.4% | 94.6% |
Weather in Lafayette
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 18.0°F. About 41.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.7 inches of snow (typical New Jersey town: 24.5 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lafayette since 1950, compared with 9 for the typical New Jersey town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 29, 2009 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 29, 2009.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 26, 2006.
Severe weather in Sussex County since 1996
Sussex County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 5, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4614: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| September 2, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3573: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| April 28, 2021 | Snowstorm | DR-4597: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 11, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4574: Tropical Storm Isaias |
| March 25, 2020 | Biological | DR-4488: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Sussex County
Sussex County had 38,360 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,693 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Lafayette itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Lafayette
1 public school with 216 students, about 8.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Township School | PK-8 | 216 | 8.6 |
Towns near Lafayette
- Franklin, NJ4.3 mi · 4,912 people · home $272,600
- Branchville, NJ4.5 mi · 791 people · home $381,800
- Frankford, NJ4.6 mi · 5,302 people · home $418,400
- Ogdensburg, NJ4.7 mi · 2,258 people · home $324,500
- Sparta, NJ5.3 mi · 19,600 people · home $484,200
- Hamburg, NJ5.4 mi · 3,266 people · home $280,900
- Hardyston, NJ5.8 mi · 8,125 people · home $360,400
- Newton, NJ6.5 mi · 8,374 people · home $302,700
Lafayette questions
Is Lafayette, New Jersey a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lafayette scores better for retirees than 89% of New Jersey towns and quieter than 96%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.7).
How much does a house cost in Lafayette?
The median owner-occupied home in Lafayette is valued at $490,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $129,038, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,891 a month.
What is the weather like in Lafayette?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 18.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.0 inches of precipitation a year and 38.7 inches of snow.
Does Lafayette get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lafayette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 29, 2009. The typical New Jersey town has had 9.
- 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)