6AM City In-house

The numbers behind living in Lexington

Cost of living in Lexington
Downtown Lexington with curly street lamps and the big blue building
Big blue skies, big blue building, big blue nation. | Photo by LEXtoday
With Lexington constantly growing and undertaking multiple high-profile developments this year, we figured it was time to talk about the cost of planting some roots in the Horse Capital of the World.

The median household income in Fayette County is $58,594 according to the US Census Bureau. State-wise, Kentucky is No. 44 in the country for median income at ~$52,238 per household.

The overall cost of living in Lexington is lower than the national average, but higher than the rest of the state.

A chart showing Lexington's cost of living compared to the state.

The overall cost of living in Lexington is lower than the national average. | Screenshot via bestplaces.net



In Lexington, the cost of healthcare is lower compared to other parts of the state, but slightly higher than the US average. The cost of groceries, housing + transportation in the city also have higher average costs than other cities in Kentucky.

Breaking down the numbers

Hypothetically speaking, if you live in a household that brings in $50,000 annually – according to experts — you shouldn’t spend more than 30% of your monthly gross income on rent and utilities. Don’t worry, we did the math for you — your max monthly budget would be $1,250. The average monthly rent for an apartment in Lexington is $1,145 — nearing the top of your budget.

According to a recent study by Attom Data Solutions, it’s actually more affordable to buy a home in Fayette County than to rent.

Take a look at the chart below to see how Lexington’s cost of living compares to that of Louisville.

Cost of living chart comparing Lexington with Louisville

The overall cost of living in Lexington is slightly higher than in Louisville. | Screenshot via bestplaces.net


Interested in seeing Lexington’s cost of living compared to cities in other states? We played around on nerdwallet’s cost of living calculator, where you can put in any city along with your current pre-tax household income to find out what other cities you could actually afford to live in.

We took a look at the cost of living in Lexington compared to Nashville. Here’s what we found:
  • The cost of living is 2% higher in Nashville.
  • To maintain our standard of living, we would need to bring in $51,134 to our Lexington household.
  • The median cost for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,215, which is $268 more than Lexington.
Lexington also has entities such as the Lexington Housing Authority + other government-funded programs to help develop more affordable units.

There are also a number of local development firms working on apartments seemingly all the time — from Christian Towers on Versailles Road to the High Street development project from Lincoln Webb LLC.

What would you tell someone who is considering moving here about the cost of living?

A. Prepare yourself for sticker shock - it’s expensive
B. Prices are reasonable - not exorbitant, not cheap
C. This is a really affordable city to live
POLL
6AM City In-house

Click here to have your event featured.

Today
  • Hocus Pocus Trivia | Wed., Oct. 12 | 6-8 p.m. | Bluegrass Bistro, 1800 Newtown Pike, Lexington | Free, price of purchase | Head to the Griffin Gate Marriott + try your hand at Halloween-themed trivia —winners receive a $50 food credit.
  • Live Music + Live Art | Wed., Oct. 12 | 5:30-9:30 p.m. | The Break Room, 1178 Manchester Street, Lexington | Free, price of purchase | Enjoy good music, good beverages + good times dancing to the beat of Enrique Gonzalez and No Rulez Banda.
Thursday
  • Mini Farmers Market Pop-up By Black Soil | Thu., Oct. 13 | 12-2 p.m. | Central Library, 140 E. Main St., Lexington | Free, price of purchase | The organization Black Soil will be doing mini farmers market pop-ups at all of our branches for all staff and LPL customers to enjoy.
  • Woodford’s Night Market | Thu., Oct. 13 | 4:30-7:30 p.m. | Downtown Midway, E. Main Street, Midway | Free, price of purchase | Celebrate Friday Eve in historic downtown Midway + shop from local merchants, enjoy food, drinks, and music by Throw Down Sounds Mobile DJ Co.
Friday
  • Bird Walks | Fri., Oct. 14 | 9-11 a.m. | Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, 3885 Raven Run Way Lexington | Free | Take a guided hike + learn to identify the different birds within Raven Run Nature Sanctuary.
  • Crafted at the Woodford Event Room | Fri., Oct. 14 | 5-9 p.m. | Woodford Event Room, 203 E. Woodford St., Lawrenceburg | Free, price of purchase | A rotating lineup of artists from the Anderson County Arts Council including popular local musicians, with food trucks, craft brewers, distillers + wineries.
Saturday
  • FOUNT Grand Opening | Sat., Oct. 15 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | FOUNT, 110 The Summit At Fritz Farm Suite 130, Lexington | Free | Stop by for this new store’s family-friendly grand opening with sips, snacks, sidewalk chalk, games, and leather crafts for children and adults.
  • Freaky Flicks: Addams Family Values | Sat., Oct. 15 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Moondance Amphitheater, 1152 Monarch St., Lexington | Free | Cozy up to watch this cooky + spooky family on the big screen at this outdoor movie series.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather
  • 80º | Isolated thunderstorms | 40% chance of rain
Open
  • Halligan’s Bar & Grill is now open in the Distillery District at 1170 Manchester St., Ste. 130, in the former Rickhouse Pub spot. The restaurant was opened by retired Lexington Firefighter Otis Cveticanin + is meant to be a gathering spot for the community and first responders. View the menu and hours. 🍔 (Lexington Herald-Leader)
  • Stop by the new Bricks & Minifigs Lexington in the Zandale Shopping Center, this Sat., Oct. 15 at 10 a.m. for its grand opening celebration. The aftermarket toy shop buys, trades + sells LEGOs and will be giving away custom minifigs for the first 100 customers along with other birthday surprises.
Community
Eat
  • Lexington Seafood Company is now serving up $12.99 lunches Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Stop by 867 E. High St., or call ahead, to try a smoked salmon salad sandwich or an open-face crab cake sandwich. All meals come with slaw or chips + a drink. 🦀
  • Executive Chef Jason Ritchey + the team at Castle Farm have released a new fall menu. Book your table today to dine like royalty with the Rigatoni with Lamb Ragú or the veggie-forward Roasted Woodland Mushrooms. 🏰
Watch
  • UK Opera Theatre alumna Reshma Shetty is gracing the small screen again, this time starring as a leading role in a Hallmark Channel holiday movie. Mark your calendars for Sat., Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. for the premiere of “Jolly Good Christmas,” part of Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas campaign. 📽️ (UK NOW)
Try This
  • CivicLex is seeking volunteers to help pass out LexVote door hangers in low-turnout areas of Lexington. If you’re interested, email Megan by clicking here + volunteers will receive a $15 Kroger gift card for donating their time (and their steps).
  • Learn how to make your own garland table runner in a hands-on workshop hosted by In Bloom Flower Farm. The workshop will be held Sat., Nov. 19 from 12-2 p.m. + your ticket includes all supplies, a charcuterie board and beverages, and a farm tour. Tickets are on sale now.
Announced
  • If you love this newsletter (and supporting local) as much as we love strolls in Thoroughbred Park, morning lattes from A Cup of Common Wealth + Saturdays spent at Keeneland (which is a lot) — we’ve got something for you: LEXtoday just launched a membership program. Learn more + sign up.
Trending
Content marked with an * is brought to you by our advertising partners and helps make this newsletter free.

Lexington named as a top city for drivers 🚗

Lexington ranked as No. 15 best city to drive in
An aerial view of Thoroughbred Park in Lexington KY
Lexington also received a safety ranking of No. 24. | Photo by @ckyimaging
A new WalletHub study listed Lexington as No. 15 on its list of “Best & Worst Cities to Drive in,” up one spot from last year. Meanwhile, Louisville ranked No. 55 + Oakland, CA came in last at No. 100.

The list was determined based on 30 key indicators compared across 100 large cities. Metrics included:
  • Cost of ownership + maintenance
  • Traffic
  • Infrastructure
  • Safety
  • Access to vehicles and maintenance
We’re putting you behind the wheel. Pretend you’re a city planner or road engineer (who knows, maybe you are one). Do you agree with Lexington’s No. 15 ranking? How could Lexington make its roads more driver-friendly? Where would you like to see traffic improvements in our city?

Take our survey to tell us how you really feel.
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by City Editor Molly.

Editor’s pick: Did you know, that you can add your own events to our event calendar? Revisit our article that explores our new events page + if you’re a business owner, nonprofit leader, or someone in the know, add your event. We don’t want to get FOMO.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Explore the wild history of the Red River Gorge.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Aaron Mikel, Molly Thompson, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Kaylee Holland, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Marin Fiske | Advertise with us.

ADVERTISE | SHOP | CAREERS | ETHICS

Did a friend forward this free newsletter to you?
SUBSCRIBE

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

Copyright © 2023 6AM City Inc, All rights reserved.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY