The typical owner-occupied home in La Fayette is worth about $50,900, 81% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 85% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $985 a year in property taxes, about 1.94% of their home's value, close to the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $51,346 a year, so the median home costs 1.0 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 96% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 61% of those owners still have a mortgage.
La Fayette at a glance
| La Fayette | Illinois | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $50,900 | $263,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $985 | $5,298 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.94% | 2.01% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $51,346 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 96% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 61% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $832 | $1,987 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.7% | 20.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | – | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1943 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.9% | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 178 | 12,694,798 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in La Fayette
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median La Fayette home of $50,900 with 20% down costs about $377 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $462, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $16,176 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 9% of the median La Fayette household income of $51,346; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $162,000.
| Down payment | $10,180 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $40,720 |
| Principal and interest | $274 |
| Property taxes (1.94% a year) | $82 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $21 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $377 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $1,782 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $49,978 |
| Principal and interest | $336 |
| Property taxes (1.94% a year) | $82 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $21 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $23 |
| Total per month | $462 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in La Fayette
What is the median home value in La Fayette?
About $50,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in La Fayette?
Homeowners pay a median $985 a year, which is about 1.94% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in La Fayette?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $377 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $16,176 a year.
More about La Fayette
- Mortgage Refinance in La Fayette
- Debt Relief in La Fayette
- Home Equity Loans in La Fayette
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data