Lafayette, LA

Lafayette is located at 185km west of New Orleans. It is situated on the Vermilion River, is the center and de facto capital of Cajun Country - the area settled by French Acadians in the 1700s. Points of interest include Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred racetrack; Acadian Village, a folklife museum with restored buildings from the 19th century; and the Lafayette Museum.

The National Park Service has developed an Acadian Cultural Center next to Vermilionville, one of three centers that are part of Jean Lafitte National Park. It includes a theater that screens an interesting film chronicling the history of the early Acadians. Like most of Louisiana, Lafayette and the Cajun Prairie region have their share of celebrations. Courir du Mardi Gras ("Running of the Mardi Gras") is a tradition celebrated in smaller towns.

Population (year 2000): 110,257. Estimated population in July 2005: 112,030 (+1.6% change)
Males: 53,158 (48.2%), Females: 57,099 (51.8%)

Lafayette County

Zip codes: 70501, 70503, 70506, 70507, 70508.

Median resident age: 33.1 years
Median household income: $35,996 (year 2000)
Median house value: $103,700 (year 2000)

Races in Lafayette:

Ancestries: French (16.9%), United States (8.9%), French Canadian (8.4%), German (7.1%), Irish (6.1%), English (6.0%).

Elevation: 41 feet

Land area: 47.6 square miles

For population 25 years and over in Lafayette

• High school or higher: 81.7%
• Bachelor's degree or higher: 31.3%
• Graduate or professional degree: 9.8%
• Unemployed: 8.1%
• Mean travel time to work: 21.9 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Lafayette city

• Never married: 32.1%
• Now married: 49.0%
• Separated: 1.8%
• Widowed: 6.3%
• Divorced: 10.8%

3.2% Foreign born (1.5% Asia, 0.7% Latin America, 0.6% Europe).

Population change in the 1990s: +7,451 (+7.2%).