West Lafayette, Indiana
Encyclopedia
As of the census
of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 household
s, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density
was 5,381.1 people per square mile (2,069.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races
, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.
There were 10,462 households out of which 14.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.6% were married couples
living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 65.7% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.
The age distribution is spread out with 10.4% under the age of 18, 54.6% from 18 to 24, 16.9% from 25 to 44, 10.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. This age distribution reflects the high percentage of Purdue University students living in the city. For every 100 females there are 133.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 137.2 males. The unusual sex distribution can also be explained by Purdue's presence; the school has large programs in several male-dominated academic fields such as engineering
.
The median income
for a household in the city was $24,869, and the median income for a family was $71,510. Males had a median income of $46,787 versus $30,218 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,337. About 9.5% of families and 38.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over. However, traditional measures of poverty can be highly misleading when applied to communities with a large proportion of students, such as West Lafayette.
, the clerk-treasurer and a seven-member Common Council. The mayor is the city's chief executive officer and chairs the Common Council and the Board of Public Works and Safety. The clerk-treasurer serves as the finance officer of the city, the clerk of the city, and the court clerk.
The 7-member Common Council holds the city's legislative authority and makes the laws through ordinances, orders, resolutions and motions. The city is divided into 5 districts, and the Common Council consists of one council member from each district, plus two at-large council members. Elected by the council members, the president of the Common Council is first in the line of succession should the mayor not finish his or her term of office. He or she also presides over the council in the mayor's absence.
All city elected officials have term of office of four years with no limit on the number of terms. Regular elections for all offices are held at the same time in the odd year preceding the presidential election year.
main campus, with an enrollment of nearly 40,000 students.
The West Lafayette Community School Corporation
administers three schools. Students attend Cumberland Elementary School through third grade, while students in grades 4-6 attend Happy Hollow Elementary School. Students in the 7th grade and above attend West Lafayette Junior-Senior High School.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
operates Pleasantview SDA School which offers courses for grades K-8, and the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette teaches K-6. There are other schools, both public and private, that have a West Lafayette address, but these are actually located outside the city limits.
Approximately 77% of West Lafayette's population age 25 or older hold a bachelor's degree or higher according to the U.S. Census 2005-2007 American Community Survey. The city ranks sixth highest on this measure among U.S. municipalities between 20,000 and 65,000 population.
The 725 acres (2.9 km²) Purdue Research Park
, established in 1961, is home to more than 140 companies of which nearly 100 are technology related. As of 2009, these companies employ more than 3,000. The Park offers communications infrastructure, research facilities, a business incubation complex to help start-up firms and scenic walking trails and lakes. It is one of the largest university-affiliated research parks in the United States. The Purdue Research Park is owned by Purdue Research Foundation, the University's non-profit funding and technology licensing arm.
As of July 2006, the unemployment rate for the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes West Lafayette, is 4.5%.
Commercial activities, however, take place mostly across the river in Lafayette. The largest commercial area in West Lafayette is the 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) Wabash Landing/Levee area, which has become a thriving urban-type district since the entire area was reconstructed and the Pedestrian Bridge to Lafayette replaced the old State Street bridge. The Levee features Wabash Landing, a complex containing shops, restaurants, coffee houses, a 9-screen movie theater, a Hilton Garden Inn
, and the Riverside Skating Center.
.
, see List of Purdue University people.
For notable natives from the neighboring city Lafayette, Indiana
, see that page.
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 29,596 people, 12,591 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s, and 3,588 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,381.1 people per square mile (2,069.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 74.3% White, 17.3% Asian, 2.7% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.17% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.
There were 10,462 households out of which 14.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 65.7% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.
The age distribution is spread out with 10.4% under the age of 18, 54.6% from 18 to 24, 16.9% from 25 to 44, 10.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. This age distribution reflects the high percentage of Purdue University students living in the city. For every 100 females there are 133.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 137.2 males. The unusual sex distribution can also be explained by Purdue's presence; the school has large programs in several male-dominated academic fields such as engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
.
The median income
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
for a household in the city was $24,869, and the median income for a family was $71,510. Males had a median income of $46,787 versus $30,218 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,337. About 9.5% of families and 38.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over. However, traditional measures of poverty can be highly misleading when applied to communities with a large proportion of students, such as West Lafayette.
Government
The city's elected officials consist of the mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
, the clerk-treasurer and a seven-member Common Council. The mayor is the city's chief executive officer and chairs the Common Council and the Board of Public Works and Safety. The clerk-treasurer serves as the finance officer of the city, the clerk of the city, and the court clerk.
The 7-member Common Council holds the city's legislative authority and makes the laws through ordinances, orders, resolutions and motions. The city is divided into 5 districts, and the Common Council consists of one council member from each district, plus two at-large council members. Elected by the council members, the president of the Common Council is first in the line of succession should the mayor not finish his or her term of office. He or she also presides over the council in the mayor's absence.
All city elected officials have term of office of four years with no limit on the number of terms. Regular elections for all offices are held at the same time in the odd year preceding the presidential election year.
Education
West Lafayette is the home of Purdue University'sPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
main campus, with an enrollment of nearly 40,000 students.
The West Lafayette Community School Corporation
West Lafayette Community School Corporation
The West Lafayette Community School Corporation administers the following schools in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States:* Cumberland Elementary School * Happy Hollow Elementary School * West Lafayette Junior-Senior High School...
administers three schools. Students attend Cumberland Elementary School through third grade, while students in grades 4-6 attend Happy Hollow Elementary School. Students in the 7th grade and above attend West Lafayette Junior-Senior High School.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
operates Pleasantview SDA School which offers courses for grades K-8, and the Montessori School of Greater Lafayette teaches K-6. There are other schools, both public and private, that have a West Lafayette address, but these are actually located outside the city limits.
Approximately 77% of West Lafayette's population age 25 or older hold a bachelor's degree or higher according to the U.S. Census 2005-2007 American Community Survey. The city ranks sixth highest on this measure among U.S. municipalities between 20,000 and 65,000 population.
Economy
The economy of West Lafayette is heavily influenced by the presence of Purdue University, with an enrollment of nearly 40,000, more than the city's population. The university employs 12,000 people, most of whom live in either West Lafayette or Lafayette.The 725 acres (2.9 km²) Purdue Research Park
Purdue Research Park
The Purdue Research Parks are a network of four research parks located in Indiana, United States. The flagship West Lafayette park is located less than north of Purdue University's West Lafayette campus, and is the largest university-affiliated research park in the United States. The other...
, established in 1961, is home to more than 140 companies of which nearly 100 are technology related. As of 2009, these companies employ more than 3,000. The Park offers communications infrastructure, research facilities, a business incubation complex to help start-up firms and scenic walking trails and lakes. It is one of the largest university-affiliated research parks in the United States. The Purdue Research Park is owned by Purdue Research Foundation, the University's non-profit funding and technology licensing arm.
As of July 2006, the unemployment rate for the Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes West Lafayette, is 4.5%.
Commercial activities, however, take place mostly across the river in Lafayette. The largest commercial area in West Lafayette is the 90 acres (364,217.4 m²) Wabash Landing/Levee area, which has become a thriving urban-type district since the entire area was reconstructed and the Pedestrian Bridge to Lafayette replaced the old State Street bridge. The Levee features Wabash Landing, a complex containing shops, restaurants, coffee houses, a 9-screen movie theater, a Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Garden Inn is a chain of hotels trademarked by the Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Garden Inns are considered to be upscale mid-priced hotels that are designed for both business and leisure travelers. The hotel brand is similar to that of the Courtyard by Marriott brand, a key competitor...
, and the Riverside Skating Center.
News and media
West Lafayette residents use many of the news and media outlets located in its twin city of Lafayette. Media located in West Lafayette proper include:- The Purdue ExponentPurdue ExponentThe Purdue Exponent is one of a handful of daily independent student newspapers, with most other college newspapers being owned by the university or operated by the journalism school. The college newspaper serves Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana...
. Purdue University's daily independent student newspaper serving Purdue, West Lafayette, and Lafayette. Newsroom and offices located just off campus on Northwestern Avenue in West Lafayette. - Journal & Courier. The newspaper serves the Greater Lafayette area. The newsroom and offices are located in downtown Lafayette.
- WLFI-TVWLFI-TVWLFI-TV, channel 18, is the CBS television affiliate in West Lafayette, Indiana that serves the Lafayette, Indiana metropolitan area. It operates on digital channel 11. Its transmitter is located in Rossville, Indiana...
. Channel 18, a CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate - WBAAWBAAWBAA and WBAA-FM are the call signs for two American radio stations owned by Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana—an AM station at 920 kHz and an FM station at 101.3 MHz. Both broadcast from studios in the Edward C...
Radio. (920AM, 101.3FM), a National Public Radio affiliate with studios located on the Purdue UniversityPurdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
campus - WKHL Radio. (106.7FM)
Transportation
Public transportation in West Lafayette is managed by the Greater Lafayette Public Transportation CorporationGreater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation
The Greater Lafayette Public Transportation Corporation is a municipal corporation founded in 1971 that provides bus services in Tippecanoe County, Indiana under the operating name of CityBus.-History:...
.
Highways
- U.S. Highway 52 to Joliet, IllinoisJoliet, IllinoisJoliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
(near ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
) and IndianapolisIndianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S... - U.S. Highway 231 to RensselaerRensselaer, Indiana-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,294 people, 2,158 households, and 1,404 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,824.8 people per square mile . There were 2,296 housing units at an average density of 791.4 per square mile...
and CrawfordsvilleCrawfordsville, IndianaCrawfordsville is a city in Union Township, Montgomery County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,915. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County... - Indiana state highways 26Indiana State Road 26State Road 26 is an east–west road in central Indiana in the United States that crosses the entire state from east to west, covering a distance of about .-Route description:...
, 43Indiana State Road 43-Southern section:This winding, two-lane section of State Road 43 connects Indiana State Road 46 in Owen County near McCormick's Creek State Park with Indiana State Road 54 in eastern Greene County. It covers a distance of .-Northern section:...
, 443Indiana State Road 443State Road 443 is an extremely short state highway in West Lafayette, Indiana, less than 1.5 miles long. It is also designated Happy Hollow Road for its entire length.-Route description:...
, 526Indiana State Road 526State Road 526 is a short north–south highway connecting the Purdue University Airport with State Road 126 in West Lafayette.-Route description:...
, 126Indiana State Road 126State Road 126 in the U.S. State of Indiana is a short east–west highway connecting State Road 526 with U.S. Route 231 in West Lafayette.-Route description:... - Interstate 65Interstate 65Interstate 65 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States. The southern terminus is located at an intersection with Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, and its northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 90 , U.S. Route 12, and U.S...
passes just east as it cuts diagonally through Indiana (Northwest to Southeast)
Railroads
- CSX TransportationCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
- Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern RailroadKankakee, Beaverville and Southern RailroadThe Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad Company is a Class III railroad serving agricultural communities in east-central Illinois and west-central Indiana.-History:...
- Norfolk Southern RailwayNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
Bus Service
- Express Air Coach (provides express shuttle service between Purdue University and Chicago's O'Hare Airport)
- Lafayette Limo (provides express shuttle service to Indianapolis Airport)
- Star of America (provides shuttle service to the Indianapolis International Airport)
- City Bus(provides bus service around West Lafayette, Purdue campus, and Lafayette)
Points of interest
- Purdue UniversityPurdue UniversityPurdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
- Purdue University Horticulture GardensPurdue University Horticulture GardensThe Purdue University Horticulture Gardens are botanical gardens located on the Purdue University campus, adjacent to the Horticulture Building at 625 Agriculture Mall Drive, West Lafayette, Indiana...
- Harry's Chocolate Shop, a bar that is part of the 19th century Von's Shops building
- Fort OuiatenonFort OuiatenonFort Ouiatenon was the first fortified European settlement in what is now called Indiana. It was a French trading post at the joining of the Tippecanoe River and the Wabash River located approximately three miles southwest of modern-day West Lafayette...
, an early French trading post - Purdue State BankPurdue State BankIn 1914 the Purdue State Bank, the smallest and least expensive of architect Louis Sullivan's "Jewel Boxes" was completed in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States. Built on a tiny, triangular shaped lot the building makes the most of the small space alloted to it...
, 1914 bank created by architect Louis SullivanLouis SullivanLouis Henri Sullivan was an American architect, and has been called the "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism" He is considered by many as the creator of the modern skyscraper, was an influential architect and critic of the Chicago School, was a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright, and an... - SamaraSamara (house)Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Samara, also known as the John E. Christian House, is located in West Lafayette, Indiana. The home is an example of the Usonian homes that Wright designed. Samara was built from 1954 and 1956 and is still occupied by the original owner, John E...
(John E. Christian House), a Usonian home designed by architect Frank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd WrightFrank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture... - Celery Bog
Notable natives
For notable residents associated with Purdue UniversityPurdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, see List of Purdue University people.
For notable natives from the neighboring city Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette, Indiana
Lafayette is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 67,140. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, which has a large impact on...
, see that page.
- Brian BinnieBrian BinnieWilliam Brian Binnie is a former United States Navy officer and is one of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne, the experimental spaceplane developed by Scaled Composites.-History:...
- One of the test pilots for SpaceShipOne - Bob FriendBob FriendRobert Bartmess Friend is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who pitched primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates , joining the New York Yankees and New York Mets in his final season of...
- Major League Baseball player - Gen FukunagaGen Fukunagais a Japanese-born businessman and producer who is the founder and president of Funimation Entertainment, a company that distributes anime in the United States and Canada.Fukunaga was born in Japan and grew up in West Lafayette, Indiana in the United States....
- Founder of Funimation EntertainmentFunimation EntertainmentFunimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005... - Anissa JonesAnissa JonesMary Anissa Jones was an American child actress known for her role as Buffy on the CBS sitcom Family Affair. She died from combined drug intoxication at the age of 18.-Early years:...
- Actress, best known as Buffy on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's Family AffairFamily AffairFamily Affair is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966 to September 9, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do civil engineer and bachelor Bill Davis as he attempted to raise his brother's orphaned children in his luxury New York City apartment. Davis' traditional... - Cleve JonesCleve JonesCleve Jones is an American AIDS and LGBT rights activist. He conceived of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt which has become, at 54 tons, the world's largest piece of community folk art as of 2009...
- Conceived the AIDS quiltNAMES Project AIDS Memorial QuiltThe NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, often abbreviated to AIDS Memorial Quilt, is an enormous quilt made as a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes... - Tom KellyTom Kelly (musician)Thomas F. Kelly is an American musician, best known for his songwriting partnership with Billy Steinberg. Steinberg and Kelly co-wrote numerous hit songs for popular music artists, including five number-one singles on the Billboard Top 100 chart in the 1980s....
- Songwriter - Harry G. LeslieHarry G. LeslieHarry Guyer Leslie was a Indiana Republican Party politician, speaker of the state house and the 33rd Governor of the state. His term as governor was marked by the start of the Great Depression.-Family and education:...
- Governor of Indiana - Sameer Mishra - Winner of the 2008 National Spelling Bee
- Toby MoskowitzToby MoskowitzTobias Jacob "Toby" Moskowitz is an American financial economist and a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business...
- Financial economist - Chike OkeaforChike OkeaforChikezie Russell Okeafor is a professional American football player. During his National Football League career from 1999 to 2009, he played defensive end and linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Arizona Cardinals....
- NFL football player - Eric RodwellEric RodwellEric Victor Rodwell is an American professional bridge player. He has won the Bermuda Bowl representing the U.S. five times and is one of ten players who have won the so-called triple crown of bridge: the Bermuda Bowl, the World Open Pairs and the World Team Olympiad...
- Multiple world champion bridge player - Erik SabelErik SabelErik Sabel is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for three seasons. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1999 and 2001 and the Detroit Tigers in 2002....
- Major League Baseball player - Randy TruittRandy TruittRandy Truitt is a member of the Indiana House of Representatives representing District 26 which includes portions of Tippecanoe and Warren County. He was first elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 2008...
- Member of the Indiana House of Representatives
External links
- City of West Lafayette, Indiana website
- West Lafayette Community School Corporation Website
- WLFI-TV, News Channel 18 (Local TV station, owned by LIN TV Corporation)