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Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY

Census place 2146027 · pop 323,725

D−49/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in KY
📍 Kentucky ranks #22 of 50 states →
🏆 Bad air0 days · top 15%
🚽 Inequality0.49 · bottom 14%
💡 Did you know?

The 'Horse Capital of the World,' surrounded by the Bluegrass region's Thoroughbred horse farms.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.87% property · US 0.99%6.00% sales · US 7.00%3.50% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.4914

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Property crime rate2303/100k22

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2303 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Homeownership53.8%22

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

53.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poverty rate14.9%35

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

14.9% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Population growth (5yr)+1.0%36

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+1.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Violent crime rate268/100k39

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

268 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Median household income$69,47943

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$69,479 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Housing cost$293,50048

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$293,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.6%51

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level88/10051

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

88/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Broadband access92.5%57

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

92.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Property-tax burden0.87%57

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.87% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Air quality (AQI)County-level41 AQI62

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

41 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time21 min70

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Bachelor's degree or higher48.3%80

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

48.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Lexington-Fayette urban county: Obesity, Mental, Inactive, Smoking, Uninsured, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY a good place to live?
By the numbers, Lexington-Fayette urban county scores 49/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 16 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is unhealthy air days and its weakest is income inequality. Kentucky overall ranks #22 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY?
Lexington-Fayette urban county reports 268 violent crimes per 100k and 2303 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY expensive to live in?
Lexington-Fayette urban county has a median home value of $293,500 — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.49) — 14/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY best at?
Its strongest measured area is unhealthy air days (0 days) — 85/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: The 'Horse Capital of the World,' surrounded by the Bluegrass region's Thoroughbred horse farms.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.