Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Lexington, KY

    Is Lexington a good place to live?

    Watch Lexington

    Lexington ranks #8 of 16 Kentucky cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (43/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population fell 0.0% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $272,100
    +9.8% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,101
    per month
    Household income
    $67,631
    median
    Unemployment
    5.0%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Lexington

    The median home value in Lexington is $272,100 and median rent is $1,101 a month, against a median household income of $67,631. Homes cost about 4.0× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Lexington crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Kentucky the 2025 rate was 214 violent and 1,282 property crimes per 100,000 people — #38 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Lexington, KY

    Lexington has about 321,122 residents, 5.0% unemployment and 26% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Lexington with

    Lexington vs LouisvilleLexington vs Bowling GreenLexington vs OwensboroLexington vs CovingtonLexington vs GeorgetownLexington vs RichmondLexington vs FlorenceLexington vs Elizabethtown

    More: Where to move in Kentucky · Best counties in Kentucky

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report