Life in Greater Lafayette - Purdue Business

Situated within driving distance to a number of major American cities — Chicago, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Louisville and Nashville — West Lafayette, Indiana, has a welcoming, friendly Midwestern culture.

For reference, Purdue is on Eastern Daylight Time, same as New York City, and we experience four seasons — warm summers, cold winters, and mild weather most of the spring and autumn.

You’ll discover a wealth of options for cultural and outdoor activities, student life, housing, sport and fitness activities for health, food and shopping, with access to public transportation to help you reach your destinations.

Where to Live?

You can choose between on and off-campus housing.

For off-campus housing, explore

Off-campus Housing Purdue Housing Guide

For on-campus housing, explore

Purdue University Residences

Connect with a current student

Speak to students who’ve already discovered many of the local opportunities. With the chat feature on this website, you can select and connect with current students. Learn about their experiences, what the professors are like, and what the social scene offers — anything and everything you’re wondering about the Daniels School of Business!

Things To Do

Between Purdue Convocations, student organization events, clubs, sporting events, Lafayette’s broad array of offerings, day trips to nearby cities and outdoor delights, you’ll never lack activities to enrich your experience at Purdue.

Find events, activities, unique shops and restaurants in downtown Lafayette.
For the full array of organization and school activities, including farmer’s markets, club and organization events, check the Purdue calendar.
Purdue Convocations offers a cosmopolitan menu of concerts, Broadway and theatre productions.

With Purdue’s rich diversity, access a wide selection of events through on-campus cultural centers:

Native American Educational and Cultural Center

Resources and support for all tribal nations
Asian-American and Asian Resource and Cultural Center

Programs and events that seek to preserve, advance and connect the Asian community
Black Cultural Center

Programs and services that present the rich heritage of the African American experience
Latino Cultural Center

Programming that celebrates and enhances understanding of Latino culture
Disability Resource Center

Focus on an inclusive campus that addresses individual and institutional barriers
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Center

Advocacy for equitable access and a discrimination-free environment

Day Trips & Transportation

Indianapolis is one hour southeast
Chicago is two hours northwest
St Louis is four hours west
Columbus is three hours east
Cincinnati is three hours southeast
Louisville is three hours south
Milwaukee is three and a half hours north
Detroit is four and a half hours northeast
Nashville is five and a half hours south

Lafayette Limo & Reindeer Shuttle are available for day trips to Indianapolis, Chicago and nearby airports, including Indianapolis International Airport (IND) and Chicago’s O’Hare Airport (ORD).

Health & Fitness

Lafayette offers two YMCAs for family, group and personal fitness, swimming and other activities.
For intramural sports, wall climbing, swimming, personal fitness or group classes, access Purdue’s Co-Rec on campus.
Participate in a number of 5K and 10K runs (Purdue Institute for Cancer Research, Lafayette Urban Ministry Turkey Trot, Riverfest Water Drop, Harvest Hustle, Race for Hope) as well as the annual Subaru CASA Cycling Challenge and Boilermaker half-marathon and 5K.
Purdue Student Health offers primary care for acute and chronic medical conditions, some prescriptions, reproductive/sexual health, physical therapy and more.
Need a physical, vaccines, treatment for common illness, allergy shot or dietary coaching? Purdue’s Center for Healthy Living offers a number of basic medical services to students.
Need specialized or emergency care? Find screenings and tests, specialized medicine and emergency care in the Franciscan and IU health networks.

Big Ten Sports

Purdue is a member of the Big Ten Conference along with University of Wisconsin, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, University of Iowa, University of Illinois in the West Division and Indiana University, University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University and Rutgers University in the East Division.
With 83 conference titles, the Purdue Boilermakers draw crowds for their winning sports.
- Don’t miss out on football (Ross Ade Stadium)
- Enjoy unbeatable basketball (Men’s/Women’s) (Mackey Arena)
- Purdue’s other teams include cross country, men’s/women’s golf, soccer, baseball, softball, men’s/women’s swimming & diving, men’s/women’s tennis, track & field, volleyball, wrestling, and spirit squad.

From the drum to the Spring Fest, discover Purdue Traditions. Boiler Up! Hammer Down!

Three images - one of Purdue's Ross Ade football stadium, one of Purdue's Mackie Arena for basketball, and one of a Purdue swimmer diving into a pool