Real Estate Investing in Lafayette, Indiana (47904)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Tippecanoe County • Population: 16,340 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 47904 (Lafayette, IN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (80/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

Rare combination of both appreciation and cash flow. These markets don't last long — worth serious consideration.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Lafayette, IN (47904)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

4.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $188,704
Avg Monthly Rent $1,092
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $44,243
% Renters 57.3%

Market Analysis: 47904 Lafayette

On balance, ZIP 47904 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $189K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

The investment case in 47904 is sturdy only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $189K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

Regionally, 47904 sits on the difficult end of the IN spectrum. The worth a close look for read — for disciplined operators — is that pricing reflects the difficulty.

The 47904 ZIP's population of 16,340 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that posts the need for careful underwriting.

Distressed ZIPs reward experience. solid returns are possible in 47904, but they flow to investors who already understand how to operate in soft markets.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Lafayette:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 76/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
25/25
Stability
11/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.3× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+6.8%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,092/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
46 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.4%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 47904

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
4BR
5.7% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
1BR
+12.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
4BR
$57,823/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $129,706 $950 5.3% +12.1% $129,706
2BR $160,810 $1,140 5.1% +11.6% $80,405
3BR $191,471 $1,370 5.2% +10.2% $63,824
4BR $231,292 $1,830 5.7% +8.9% $57,823

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$201K$171K$142K$113K$84K$55KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,112$1,055$998$941$885$828Dec 2022Oct 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 47904 Compare?

Metric 47904 Lafayette Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN Indiana
Home Value $188,704 $255,056 N/A $248,442
5-Year CAGR 8.2% 6.1% N/A 7.7%
Avg Rent $1,092 $1,303 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.5% 4.0% - -
💡 Why Invest in 47904? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

57% of households rent in this area, creating consistent tenant demand for landlords.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 47904 (Lafayette, IN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 47904 (Lafayette, IN)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Property managers serving Tippecanoe County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

B.W. Parks offers rental properties in Lafayette, Indiana. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

June Palms Property Management provides property management services in Lafayette, Indiana. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Sorola Properties is a property management company located in Lafayette, IN. summary from their website

Unclaimed — is this your business? Claim it free

Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.5%
Fair
5yr Growth
+8.2%
Strong

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $188,704
Monthly Rent $1,092
Price-to-Rent 14.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 7.0%
Cap Rate 4.5%
5-Year IRR 12.7%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +6.8% ▲
3-Year CAGR +7.5% ▲
5-Year CAGR +8.2% ▲
10-Year CAGR +9.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +11.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +6.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.5%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.5%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
6.8%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+8.2%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 47904

Population: 16,340

💰 Median Household Income
$44,243
This area
$44,243
State
$69,164
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
57.3%
This area
57.3%
State
22.2%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.9%
This area
2.9%
State
-23.5%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
20.3%
This area
20.3%
State
-6.4%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
34.7 years
This area
34.7 years
State
-0.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
6.8%
This area
6.8%
State
10.7%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 82.0%
Other/Mixed 11.5%
Hispanic/Latino 6.1%
Black/African American 5.0%
Asian 1.5%
👶 Under 18
20.6%
This area
20.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
13.4%
This area
13.4%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
11.0%
This area
11.0%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 47904

B Avg School Grade
7 Schools
14.5:1 Avg Class Size
$14,842 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

Oakland Elementary School

📚 K – 04 Elementary
👥
193 Students
👨‍🏫
11.9:1 Class Size
💰
$16,116 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Murdock Elementary School

📚 K – 04 Elementary
👥
232 Students
👨‍🏫
14.4:1 Class Size
💰
$16,116 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Vinton Elementary School

📚 K – 04 Elementary
👥
427 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$16,116 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate

📚 05 – 06 School
👥
1,029 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$16,116 Per Student
C+ Average

Paramount School of Excellence Lafayette

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
173 Students
👨‍🏫
12.4:1 Class Size
C+ Average

Excel Center - Lafayette

📚 09 – 12 High School Charter
👥
364 Students
👨‍🏫
19.2:1 Class Size
💰
$8,469 Per Student
C+ Average

Greater Lafayette Area SE

📚 Grade PK Elementary Limited Data
💰
$16,116 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

6 Nearby 47,013 Off-Campus Students
D
Saint Elizabeth School of Nursing
131 students · 0.8 mi
C
Tricoci University of Beauty Culture-Lafayette
87 students · 1.4 mi
B+
Purdue University-Main Campus
52,905 students · 2.1 mi
C
Purdue University Global
44,421 students · 3.0 mi
C
Christina and Company Education Center
32 students · 3.6 mi
D
Ross Medical Education Center-Lafayette
77 students · 3.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 47,013 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lafayette, IN better for rentals, flips, or BRRRR?

A careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy Lafayette, IN best. The market produces steady results for that approach at the $189K price point.

Are tenants stable in Lafayette, IN?

Tenant demand in Lafayette, IN is solid. The local workforce $1,092/mo rents across most rental classes.

What monthly rent should investors expect in Lafayette, IN?

Rent in Lafayette, IN is around $1,092/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $189K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

Can owner-occupants cash flow in Lafayette, IN?

For house hackers, Lafayette, IN is a challenging. The $1,092/mo rent on a unit helps defray the mortgage on a $189K property.

Do rentals sit vacant long in Lafayette, IN?

Lafayette, IN sees elevated vacancy, which is reasonable relative to the broader IN rental market.

You know 47904 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 47904 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 47904 ranks in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 47904 (Lafayette)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 47904 (Lafayette, IN).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.