Jobs, pay and daily life in Lafayette, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lafayette is a city in Colorado with 30,602 residents. The median household earns $119,040 a year and the median rent is $2,121 a month, which is 21.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Boulder, CO metropolitan area, where BLS counts 192,390 jobs.
How Lafayette compares. Among the 80 largest places in Colorado, Lafayette is #32 by population, #14 for college degrees (#1 = most), #15 for remote work (#1 = most), #56 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Boulder County, is #3 of 64 counties for average pay ($96,397).
Lafayette has 30,602 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Colorado. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,307 people per square mile. The median age is 39.1, 4% older than the state median (39.1 against 37.7).
The median gross rent is $2,121 a month (rent plus utilities), 20% above the state median ($2,121 against $1,761). Over a year that is 21.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $686,500, which is 5.8 times the median household income ($119,040); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 65.7% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (65.7% against 66.2%).
The Boulder, CO metropolitan area has 192,390 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $69,580 a year, 36% above the national median ($69,580 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are business and financial operations (19,860 jobs, median $98,490); sales and related (19,460 jobs, median $51,550); office and administrative support (17,540 jobs, median $54,900). The area is most specialised in life, physical, and social science (3.3 times) and architecture and engineering (2.8 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($168,330) and computer and mathematical ($135,870). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Boulder County was 4.4%. 72.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Boulder County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 60.0% drive alone, 1.2% use public transit, 1.1% walk, 30.1% work from home. 12.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 11% below the state average (12.5% against 14.1%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
63.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 39% above the state share (63.5% against 45.7%). 10.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 10% above the state share (10.8% against 9.8%). The poverty rate is 5.6%, 41% below the state rate (5.6% against 9.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (24.1°C), and the coolest is Dec at 30°F (-1.1°C). About 448 mm (18 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (65 mm) and Jan the driest (20 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Louisville (3 miles, similar rent); Broomfield (4 miles, similar rent); Erie (5 miles, rent 32% higher); Superior (5 miles, rent 16% higher). Rent differences are against Lafayette; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Colorado (1,073) →State guide: ColoradoCountry guideBoulder CountyColorado rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,073 federal postings open in Colorado (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Colorado →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | 7,130 | 3.41 | $164,560 | $102,880 | $235,660 | +21% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,880 | 1.02 | $36,190 | $33,360 | $45,460 | +16% |
| Retail Salespersons | 4,880 | 1.01 | $38,700 | $33,550 | $51,120 | +9% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 3,610 | 2.68 | $94,040 | $60,720 | $168,010 | +13% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 3,230 | 2.08 | $99,990 | $48,620 | $184,770 | +43% |
| Registered Nurses | 3,140 | 0.75 | $103,290 | $84,530 | $128,260 | +6% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 3,130 | 2.81 | $97,600 | $50,140 | $178,280 | +24% |
| Cashiers | 3,100 | 0.81 | $38,520 | $34,930 | $47,880 | +17% |
| Project Management Specialists | 2,920 | 2.22 | $122,040 | $75,140 | $197,040 | +19% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,750 | 0.63 | $152,100 | $70,760 | $344,870 | +44% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,670 | 0.95 | $49,870 | $33,800 | $80,920 | +42% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 2,380 | 1.33 | $99,990 | $61,420 | $166,180 | +19% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,230 | 0.64 | $45,010 | $35,480 | $55,250 | +21% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 2,190 | 1.26 | $42,220 | $34,340 | $54,600 | +13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,070 | 0.65 | $47,830 | $36,340 | $69,850 | +7% |
| Computer Network Architects | 2,000 | 9.00 | $156,360 | $106,470 | $216,210 | +17% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,910 | 1.07 | $79,450 | $55,210 | $142,730 | +14% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 1,880 | 1.23 | $84,660 | $48,160 | $160,620 | +17% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,710 | 0.63 | $42,440 | $37,130 | $58,150 | +15% |
| Computer User Support Specialists | 1,710 | 1.93 | $74,380 | $48,200 | $124,660 | +20% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,220 | 1.47 | $206,260 | $132,210 | $314,480 | +18% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 680 | 2.49 | $203,420 | $146,600 | $268,670 | +19% |
| Sales Managers | 740 | 0.94 | $200,970 | $123,240 | $329,830 | +36% |
| Marketing Managers | 630 | 1.29 | $199,570 | $127,620 | $308,050 | +20% |
| Financial Managers | 700 | 0.67 | $192,970 | $120,650 | $393,650 | +16% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,020 | 1.32 | $179,090 | $110,590 | $287,370 | +26% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 800 | 9.56 | $167,160 | $103,320 | $210,410 | +24% |
| Software Developers | 7,130 | 3.41 | $164,560 | $102,880 | $235,660 | +21% |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 650 | 6.80 | $161,720 | $100,390 | $216,650 | -0% |
| Computer Network Architects | 2,000 | 9.00 | $156,360 | $106,470 | $216,210 | +17% |
| Information Security Analysts | 520 | 2.22 | $154,990 | $100,710 | $214,290 | +20% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,750 | 0.63 | $152,100 | $70,760 | $344,870 | +44% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 1,120 | 2.09 | $147,590 | $79,810 | $207,810 | +27% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 510 | 0.70 | $138,150 | $83,600 | $296,740 | +12% |
| Engineers, All Other | 580 | 3.03 | $137,530 | $85,030 | $211,080 | +12% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | 730 | 2.76 | $136,380 | $65,990 | $212,280 | +56% |
| Data Scientists | 540 | 1.67 | $134,040 | $74,640 | $222,940 | +11% |
| Electronics Engineers, Except Computer | 590 | 4.90 | $132,230 | $99,240 | $197,660 | +2% |
| Management Analysts | 980 | 0.88 | $131,470 | $72,490 | $228,040 | +29% |
| Electrical Engineers | 530 | 2.17 | $130,170 | $83,200 | $206,990 | +8% |
These figures are for the whole Boulder, CO metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $69,580 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 21.0% |
| Manufacturing | 12.2% |
| Retail trade | 9.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.3% |
| Construction | 5.0% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Information | 3.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.0% |
| Public administration | 2.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lafayette lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder County | 328,961 | $39,311 million | $119,500 | 193,920 | 18,751 | $96,397 | -0.7% | 4.4% | 186,817 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional and technical services | 34,458 | 21.2% | $159,722 | 2.55 |
| Health care and social assistance | 23,159 | 14.2% | $69,077 | 0.83 |
| Manufacturing | 20,858 | 12.8% | $100,696 | 1.31 |
| Accommodation and food services | 16,694 | 10.2% | $31,715 | 0.95 |
| Retail trade | 16,620 | 10.2% | $44,017 | 0.86 |
| Information | 8,421 | 5.2% | $219,681 | 2.32 |
| Wholesale trade | 7,642 | 4.7% | $148,861 | 1.00 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5,885 | 3.6% | $59,146 | 1.01 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,487 | 3.4% | $61,340 | 0.48 |
| Construction | 5,464 | 3.4% | $78,041 | 0.54 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,973 | 2.4% | $157,900 | 0.50 |
| Educational services | 3,604 | 2.2% | $51,344 | 0.90 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 3,407 | 2.1% | $38,035 | 1.05 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,470 | 1.5% | $76,030 | 0.82 |
| Management of companies | 1,852 | 1.1% | $165,562 | 0.57 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,544 | 0.9% | $56,580 | 0.19 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 654 | 0.4% | $46,104 | 0.42 |
| Utilities | 469 | 0.3% | $188,047 | 0.64 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 217 | 0.1% | $123,761 | 0.30 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 60.0% |
| Public transit | 1.2% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 30.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $119,040 |
| Income per person | $62,261 |
| Median gross rent per month | $2,121 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.4% |
| Median home value | $686,500 |
| Homeowners | 65.7% |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 105.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $69,580 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.40%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 95.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 63.5% |
| Born abroad | 10.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 72.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -0.6 | 31 | 20 |
| Feb | -0.4 | 31 | 24 |
| Mar | 4.5 | 40 | 36 |
| Apr | 8.5 | 47 | 54 |
| May | 13.6 | 56 | 65 |
| Jun | 20.7 | 69 | 43 |
| Jul | 24.1 | 75 | 52 |
| Aug | 22.4 | 72 | 43 |
| Sep | 17.9 | 64 | 36 |
| Oct | 9.9 | 50 | 33 |
| Nov | 3.9 | 39 | 21 |
| Dec | -1.1 | 30 | 21 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | CO | 3 mi | 20,786 | $147,319 | $2,166 |
| Broomfield | CO | 4 mi | 76,304 | $123,874 | $2,126 |
| Erie | CO | 5 mi | 33,808 | $173,349 | $2,805 |
| Superior | CO | 5 mi | 13,305 | $159,434 | $2,457 |
| Gunbarrel | CO | 6 mi | 10,051 | $109,407 | $1,972 |
| Westminster | CO | 8 mi | 115,484 | $100,272 | $1,882 |
| Boulder | CO | 8 mi | 106,433 | $87,493 | $2,018 |
| Northglenn | CO | 8 mi | 38,014 | $84,030 | $1,775 |
| Thornton | CO | 10 mi | 144,187 | $103,088 | $1,895 |
| Federal Heights | CO | 10 mi | 14,125 | $56,597 | $1,687 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
30,602 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$2,121 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.4% of the median household income.
$119,040 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Boulder County (latest month 2026M09)).
Colorado. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.