LaFayette was founded as Chattooga, in 1835, as the seat of newly formed Walker County.

[4] The county was named after the former United States senator Freeman Walker.

[6] In 1864, the city became the site of the Battle of LaFayette during the Atlanta campaign of the American Civil War.

[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.1 square miles (21 km2), all land.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,888 people, 2,847 households, and 1,844 families residing in the city.