Lafayette's housing stock reflects its agricultural past and rural present. Homes range from eighteenth- and nineteenth-century farmhouses and colonials to mid-century ranches and newer single-family construction, many on larger lots with generous setbacks. The township has no high-density development to speak of, and much of the housing sits along rural roads amid fields and woodland. As a result, the market tends toward single-family homes with acreage or oversized lots, appealing to buyers who prioritize space, privacy, and a working-countryside setting over dense suburban conveniences.

Lafayette's settlement pattern centers on Lafayette Village, the historic crossroads community along Route 15 that gives the township its civic and commercial anchor. Around the village, the township unfolds as a patchwork of farms, wooded lots, and residential roads rather than formal subdivisions. Homes are dispersed across the rolling terrain, and many share the landscape with active farmland. This low-density, scattered pattern is itself the defining feature of the township's neighborhoods, where the distinction between village, farm, and countryside is often blurred.

Life in Lafayette is rural and self-directed. Working farms, horse properties, orchards, and farm stands shape the local rhythm, and residents prize the open space and quiet that drew them to the Skylands. The village offers a few local conveniences, while Newton, the Sussex County seat, provides shopping, dining, and services a short drive away. Community life revolves around the school, local farms, and the outdoor recreation of the surrounding region. It is a place for people who want room to breathe and a direct connection to the land.

Lafayette's public-school students attend the Lafayette Township Elementary School for the early grades. After eighth grade, students move on to High Point Regional High School, a regional school serving Lafayette and neighboring Sussex County communities. The arrangement reflects the township's small population and the regional approach to schooling common in rural New Jersey. The elementary school is a community institution, and the regional high school gives students access to a broader range of academics, athletics, and activities than a single small township could support alone.

Route 15 is Lafayette's main corridor, running north-south through the township and connecting it to Newton and the broader Sussex County road network. From there, Routes 206 and 94 and the interstate system beyond link the township to the rest of New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. Commuting patterns are largely local, with residents driving to Newton, Sparta, and other nearby employment centers, while longer commutes east toward the New Jersey suburbs are possible for those willing to make the drive. Traffic within the township remains light and rural in character.

Lafayette sits in the heart of the Skylands, one of New Jersey's premier outdoor recreation regions. High Point State Park, home to the state's highest elevation, and Stokes State Forest lie to the north, offering hiking, camping, and sweeping ridgeline views, while the Appalachian Trail crosses the region's Kittatinny Ridge. Local lakes and rivers provide fishing and paddling, and the township's own farm country is laced with quiet roads popular with cyclists. Seasonal farm stands, orchards, and agricultural events add a working-countryside dimension to the area's recreation.