Living in Lexington, KY
Mid-size city in Kentucky
Lexington is a mid-size city in Kentucky, home to about 321,000 people, with 548,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Lexington a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $312k and rents for $1,740 a month
- Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low taxes: about $1,066 state income tax per resident, 0.89% property tax
- Mild summers: highs around 86°F
👎 Cons
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Smaller job market: about 548,000 people live within 31 mi
- Cloudier than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Lexington ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Lexington: common questions
What is the cost of living in Lexington?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $312k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,740 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Lexington?
Kentucky collects about $1,066 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.89% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Lexington safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.8× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Lexington?
Lexington has cool winters: winter days average around 45°F and summer days around 86°F, with roughly 15″ of snow a year.
Does Lexington get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, tornadoes and cold waves: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.97 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Lexington?
The nearest major airport is SDF, about 70 mi away.
How Lexington scores
Each bar compares Lexington with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Lexington right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.