Lafayette ( or
lah-fee-YET) is a city in and the
county seat of
Tippecanoe County,
Indiana,
United States, located northwest of
Indianapolis and southeast of
Chicago.
West Lafayette, on the other side of the
Wabash River, is home to
Purdue University, which contributes significantly to both communities. Together, Lafayette and West Lafayette form the core of the Lafayette, Indiana
Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the
2010 United States Census, the population of Lafayette was 67,140, roughly a 19% increase from 56,397 in 2000. Meanwhile the 2010 U.S. Census pegged the year-round (excluding Purdue University students) population of West Lafayette at 29,596 and a Tippecanoe County population of 172,780.