Sitting on the western edge of Colorado’s Great Plains, the City of Lafayette is a residential community of over 32,000 people. Originally settled as a homestead in the 1870s, it started as a small mining town when coal was discovered in the 1880s and has since transitioned from a mining and agriculture-based town to a sprawling suburban city with a vibrant culture and extensive outdoor recreation. “I love that the community is so real, and the people here are so warm and involved,” says Katey McNeil, executive director for the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. “You don’t see many cities where people actually go to chamber meetings.”
While the city’s last coal mine closed in the 1950s, Lafayette’s economy finds success across the healthcare, professional services and manufacturing industries. Top employers include Good Samaritan Medical Center, Medtronic, CTAP and Walmart.
Lafayette sits on the edge of the Great Plains and had a rich agricultural history.
Medtronic is one of Lafayette's top employers.
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Neighborhoods of mixed housing types
Lafayette’s residential areas are broken into subdivisions. Old Town Lafayette has modern townhouses and condos, while surrounding downtown neighborhoods are lined with traditional single-story cottages and bungalows. Split levels and traditional multi-story homes are common in North Lafayette neighborhoods, though there are also a handful of subdivisions with new construction modern estates. In 2024, the median price for a single-family home was $770,000, while the median price for townhouses was around $528,000.
Modern multi story homes are becoming more common in Lafayette.
Lafayette also has townhome options for those not looking for a single family home.
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Northern Colorado’s natural areas and city parks
Lafayette has over 1,640 acres of open spaces and 20 miles of trails. Coal Creek Corridor Open Space is a wildlife habitat surrounding Coal Creek with trails. There’s also Waneka Lake, a popular nature preserve that doubles up as a city park. The Waneka Lake Boathouse rents out paddle boats and canoes.
There are 20 designated city parks in Lafayette, including two community gardens, a dog park, a disc golf course, a skate park and country clubs, such as the Indian Peaks Golf Course. Additionally, the Bob Burger Recreation Center is an indoor athletic complex with a pool.
The Bob Burger Recreation center is a gathering place for the Lafayette community.
Lafayette is home to the Indian Peaks Golf Course, which is a public golf course.
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Shopping and dining in downtown Lafayette
Old Town Lafayette is the city’s downtown district, with dozens of local businesses, restaurants and wellness services, including a flea market. Downtown has everything from casual American restaurants and coffee shops to upscale bistros and international cuisines and breweries and taphouses line Public Road. “Old Town is really popular because you can walk and shop, but we also have a couple of other little pockets for shopping,” McNeil says. “We don’t have many national retailers. For the most part, it’s all small business. Most of the things you need, you can find from the local places nearby.” These pockets include shopping centers along Baseline Road and South Boulder Road that have local restaurants and grocery stores.
You won't find many national brand retailers in Lafayette.
Lafayette's South Public Road is lined with dining and retail options.
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Old Town Lafayette’s cultural core
Alleyways in Old Town Lafayette are decorated with public artwork. Over 80 murals and dozens of sculptures are scattered throughout downtown. “Our community is very focused on art. We have a lot of studios that are everything from ceramics to jewelers and apothecaries,” McNeil says. Additionally, The Collective Community Arts Center showcases rotating art exhibits and provides workshops and programs for the city.
There's Lafayette’s Center for Musical Arts and the Muse Performance Space, which is a live venue. Festival Plaza is another venue in Old Town that hosts Picnic on the Plaza, a summer concert series. Other popular city events include the Peach Festival in August and the Lafayette Farmers Market. “Events are constantly going on, so it’s a very active community. There’s nothing short of things to do,” McNeil continues.
Lafayette's Muse Performance Space plays host to live musical acts.
You will find sculptures to enjoy littered across the city of Lafayette.
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Boulder County public schools
Lafayette’s public schools are served by the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), which serves over 28,400 students across 56 schools, including four elementary, one middle and one high school in the city itself. BVSD earns an A grade from Niche. Lafayette also has one charter school, and one private K-12 school.
Lafayette Elementary School of the Boulder Valley School District in Lafayette, Colorado.
Centaurus High School is a public high school in Lafayette, Colorado.
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Navigating Lafayette and beyond
Colorado’s Regional Transportation District (RTD) has several bus lines with stops throughout the area. U.S. Highway 287 cuts through the city, traveling north about 13 miles to Longmont and around 22 miles south to Denver. It's about 11 miles west of Boulder along Colorado state Highway 7. Access to Northwest Parkway is directly south of Lafayette and can be used to travel to the Denver International Airport, roughly 32 miles east. As part of the city’s sustainable transportation program, Lafayette has multiple Electric Vehicle charging stations.
Lafayette’s consistent weather and crime
Lafayette residents experience a moderate climate and all four seasons. The area’s average annual snowfall is 69 inches, which is on par with the Colorado average. Some areas in Lafayette may be at risk of potential prairie fires. The City of Lafayette Fire Department has two stations.
In the Lafayette Police Department’s 2024 Quarter Three Report, the total number of offenses reported was roughly 1,700, which is a 6% increase year-over-year. According to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, the city’s violent crime rate is on par with state and national crime rates. The city’s property crime rate is also on par with that of the state, but higher than the national average.
Written By
Brittany Bell
Photography Contributed By
Karl Brewick
Video By
Kellan Beaver
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