Rents are 4% below what West Lafayette's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,877 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in West Lafayette usually run 1.4% below trend in February and 1.1% above it in July, about $47 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in West Lafayette is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in May 2016.
Rent in West Lafayette changed +3.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 49 Indiana cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.5%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in West Lafayette rose 46.9% while median household income rose 0.7% ($34,650 to $34,891). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in West Lafayette is 52.2% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 2 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($34,891) is $872 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($830); a 1-bedroom is $970.
Lafayette, 9 miles away, rents for 32% less ($1,282/mo), about $7,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for West Lafayette. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
West Lafayette, IN is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 73.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How West Lafayette, IN has changed in 5 years
The median rent in West Lafayette, IN stood at $1,264 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,877, reflecting a 48.5% increase over the period. Census figures show median household income at $34,891 today, compared with $28,744 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 1.4% since 2021, moving from about 44,515 residents to roughly 45,159. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in West Lafayette on your salary?
At $1,877/mo, how West Lafayette rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
West Lafayette rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in West Lafayette. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in West Lafayette
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in West Lafayette is $1,877/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $830/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,160/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $970/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,400/mo.
At 65% of local median household income ($34,891/yr), West Lafayette ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does West Lafayette rent compare to other cities in Indiana?
Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than West Lafayette?
At $1,877/mo, rent takes ~65% of West Lafayette's median household income ($34,891/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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