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Lexington, KY

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Lexington

Commonwealth Stadium of Kentucky Kentucky Wildcats v.s. Georgia Bulldogs football, October
Commonwealth Stadium of Kentucky Kentucky Wildcats v.s. Georgia Bulldogs football, October · Photo: Navin75, CC BY-SA 2.0
Downtown Lexington
Downtown Lexington · Photo: Rich Bowen, CC BY 2.0
Henry Clay's law office
Hunt Morgan House, Lexington Kentucky
Hunt Morgan House, Lexington Kentucky · Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
Keeneland Race Course
Keeneland gate
Keeneland gate · Photo: Calstanhope, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lexington Downtown
Lexington Dirt Bowl
Lexington Dirt Bowl · Photo: TheLexingtonTimes, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lexington Herald Leader Loudon Avenue Office
Lexington Herald Leader Loudon Avenue Office · Photo: The Lexington Times, CC BY-SA 4.0
Lexington History Center Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington History Center Lexington, Kentucky · Photo: Daderot, CC0
Mary Todd Lincoln House, Lexington Kentucky
Mary Todd Lincoln House, Lexington Kentucky · Photo: FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, CC BY-SA 4.0
Old Fayette County Courthouse
Old Fayette County Courthouse · Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Where it is
Lexington
Lexington in Kentucky
Kentucky in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Lexington area.

38
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
47
coffee shops
103
parks
82
playgrounds
9
libraries
5
movie theaters
10
live theaters
5
museums
21
bookstores
13
gyms
52
bars
28
pharmacies
14
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Lexington area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
129 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
99 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 82,561 rented homes in the Lexington area, 95% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 44%
$1,000 to $1,499: 39%
$1,500 to $1,999: 13%
$2,000 to $2,499: 3%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Lexington area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Kentucky

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Kentucky DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Kentucky voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

One public school district serves this county, with about 41,422 students. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Fayette County · Lexington
41,422 students · 13.4 students per teacher · 80 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Kentucky keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Search licensed childcare in Kentucky →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

8 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Lexington. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Kentucky · Lexington
Public, 4-year · 32,703 students · $13,212 in-state, $33,406 out-of-state
Bluegrass Community and Technical College · Lexington
Public, 2-year (community college) · 11,619 students · $4,706 in-state, $6,242 out-of-state
Transylvania University · Lexington
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,022 students · $44,980 a year
Frontier Nursing University · Versailles (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,548 students
Midway University · Midway (metro)
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,945 students · $26,080 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$326,418
What a typical home sells for across the Lexington area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
22 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $4,042 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in KY. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
14 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
23.4 per 100,000 people a year
77 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. KY average: 23.7 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$67,631
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.89% of home value a year
About $890 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3.50%
KY's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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