Purdue University

T

he home of Purdue University is West Lafayette and its neighboring city, Lafayette. A combination of big city activity and small-town charm is one of the reasons Greater Lafayette is consistently ranked nationally as a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

The area is also known for its high quality public school system. In January, 2009, West Lafayette High School was named the best high school in Indiana by Business Week and was named one of the nation's best by U.S.News & World Report in December, 2008.

2009

• West Lafayette is ranked the 6th most-educated small town in America. (Forbes, 2009)
• West Lafayette ranks 29th amongst college towns for home price availability in the 2009 Annual College Town Home Price Affordability Index, a ranking that provides an apples-to-apples comparison of similarly sized 2,200 square foot, four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom houses in college markets home to the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision Schools. A house of this size averages just $189,000 in West Lafayette. (Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, 2009)

2008

• The Lafayette area is named one of the best communities for young people. (America's Promise Alliance, 2008)
• The Lafayette area ranks 16th in Best Small Places for Business and Careers. (Forbes, 2008)
• West Lafayette is named one of the Top 10 Brainiest Places to Retire. (U.S.News & World Report, 2008)
• West Lafayette is national champion in the "America in Bloom" competition, winning top honors for the overall environmental criteria. Lafayette won the top award for heritage preservation. (America in Bloom, 2008)
• The Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes all of Tippecanoe, Benton and Carroll counties, has been awarded two Top-of-the-Charts awards:
  • A #6 national ranking for recruitment and attraction which rates communities on their success in attracting business expansions and relocations (Expansion Magazine, 2008), and
  • A 25th "Best City" ranking. Over 400 metropolitan areas were rated on criteria such as economy and jobs, cost of living, climate, education, health, healthcare, crime, transportation, leisure, arts and culture and overall quality (Frommer's Cities Ranked & Rated, 2008).

2007

• The Lafayette Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has been awarded a Top-of-the-Charts award: A five star Quality-of-Life rating which ranks the metro areas that offer the best middle class lifestyle. (Expansion Magazine, 2007)