| Official Name: | Lafayette, Oregon |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Mapsize: | 250x200px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Yamhill |
| Government Type: | Council-Manager |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Hilary Malcomson |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date: | 1846 |
| Established Date2: | 1878 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 2.40 |
| Area Land Km2: | 2.40 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 0.93 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 0.93 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 4423 |
| Population Density Km2: | 1844.66 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 4776.46 |
| Timezone: | Pacific |
| Utc Offset: | -8 |
| Timezone Dst: | Pacific |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -7 |
| Coordinates: | 45.2469°N -123.1133°W |
| Elevation Ft: | 223 |
| Website: | www.ci.lafayette.or.us |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 97127 |
| Area Code: | 503 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 41-40300[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 2411593 |
| Footnotes: |
|
Lafayette is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States on the Yamhill River and Oregon Route 99W. It was founded in 1846 and incorporated in 1878. The population was 4,423 at the 2020 census.
Lafayette was founded in 1846 by Joel Perkins,[3] an American pioneer and entrepreneur, who had previously lived in Lafayette, Indiana[4] and named the new settlement similarly after Marquis de Lafayette, a general involved in the American Revolutionary War.
The post office was established in 1851,[4] and the city was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on October 17, 1878.[5]
Lafayette was the county seat of Yamhill County from its founding until 1889, when county residents voted to move the county seat to McMinnville.[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.9sqmi, all of it land.[6]
It is located on State Highway 99W between McMinnville and Dundee.
In 1900 a Yamhill River lock and dam was completed about downriver from Lafayette, Oregon. The lock was decommissioned in 1954. The dam was deliberately destroyed in 1963 to allow better passage for salmon on the river. The site of the lock and dam is now a county park.
See main article: Yamhill River lock and dam.
As of the census[7] of 2010, there were 3,742 people, 1,209 households, and 938 families living in the city. The population density was 4157.8PD/sqmi. There were 1,315 housing units at an average density of 1461.1/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 84.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 9.8% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.0% of the population.
There were 1,209 households, of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.2% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 22.4% were non-families. 15.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.45.
The median age in the city was 33.2 years. 32.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.9% were from 25 to 44; 22.6% were from 45 to 64; and 8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.3% male and 48.7% female.
In the census of 2000, there were 2,586 people, 841 households, and 656 families living in the city. The population density was 2869.9sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 888 housing units at an average density of 985.5sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 85.89% White, 0.43% African American, 1.62% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 8.35% from other races, and 2.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.22% of the population.
There were 841 households, out of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.9% were non-families. 16.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.43.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,611, and the median income for a family was $41,283. Males had a median income of $31,351 versus $22,466 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,542. About 10.7% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.