Welcome to Lexington, Kentucky: Where Bluegrass Meets Urban Ease
With its rolling emerald hills, red brick buildings and the unrivaled revelry of its famous music, the grass is never greener than in this Bluegrass city. Lexington is known as the Horse Capital of the World, where riders, racers and breeders are threaded in the weave of urban culture. Bourbon is, too — those long years of prohibition be damned — and you can sample some of the sweetest varieties, ancient and new, brewed today in Lexington’s Distillery District.
But thoroughbreds and whiskey aren’t the only things driving Lexington’s metro population to the ripe size of 330,000. Colleges like the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University keep community spirits high and the workforce strong, while major corporate leaders such as Toyota have kept industries like manufacturing alive, even while other cities struggle to do the same.
With great museums, great restaurants and historic architecture everywhere you look, you might expect that living in Lexington will also carry a high price tag. But, amazingly, it doesn’t. Real estate in this Southern charmer is less expensive than national rates, and much of it is far more appealing than the American standard.
The city’s friendly, outgoing attitude is welcoming to newcomers of all kinds — individuals looking for a cooler place to advance in their career, young families hoping to find their forever city and retirees ready for a hipper home base for the future. In fact, U.S. News & World Report named it the 16th best place to retire in 2025-26.
If you’re on the hunt for a Southern city with a lively culture, four true seasons and real estate that won’t break the bank, Lexington, Kentucky, may be for you. Learn more about the city below in our moving guide, where we will discuss the cost of living, the job market, hot neighborhoods and our favorite things to do.
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Lexington?
The post-pandemic housing bubble left a lot of Americans in the lurch, especially younger individuals and families looking to break into the market. That’s doubly true if you’re looking for a well-established city with lots of built-in amenities. That’s what makes Lexington such a shining gem. The cost of living in this central Kentucky city is below the U.S. norm, primarily thanks to the median home value, which averaged $272,100 from 2019-2023. The median gross rent averaged $1,101/month over the same time period, saving renters more than $200 off the U.S. rate. However, both renting and owning are more expensive in Lexington than it is across the state of Kentucky.
You might find that your earnings are lower in Lex than they would be in other trendy areas. The median household income in Lexington is only $67,631 per household — or, $42,272 per capita — which is more than $10K below the national median. Fortunately, typical household expenditures are usually manageable with these wages, leaving Lexingtonians in a better position than many of their national counterparts.
According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, an individual with no children in Lexington-Fayette County should budget at least the following for essentials:
- Food: $4,030
- Medical: $2,978
- Housing: $9,628
- Transportation: $10,087
- Civic: $2,589
- Internet/Mobile: $1,495
- Miscellaneous: $3,770
- Taxes: $6,740
Which Lexington Neighborhoods Are Right for You?
With $1.7 billion in tourism revenue, Fayette County is one of the most popular destinations in the state to visit, so you can only imagine how much fun it is to live here. Lexington has dozens of incredible neighborhoods to put down roots, whether you’re looking for a large parcel of bluegrass in the countryside or a nifty corner of the city core. Here are a few of our favorite spots.
In the heart of Downtown Lexington, rehabbed lofts, swanky condos and all manner of apartments will put you in the center of the action. The Lexington Children’s Museum is in the center of downtown Lex, just a few steps away from the Rupp Arena, where you can see UK Wildcats games and all the biggest concerts in town. In stark contrast to the Jonas Brothers vibes of the arena, the stately brick building just down the street — the Mary Todd Lincoln House — welcomes visitors to explore the 16th First Lady’s childhood home. Hotels, restaurants and java shops like Old School Coffee make the downtown fun and walkable for residents and visitors alike.
Historic nooks and artsy hubs encircle Downtown Lexington, from Chevy Chase — a shopping district near the University of Kentucky — to the Northside District and Graetz Park, where you’ll find Transylvania University and the Lexington History Museum. History aficionados will also want to visit Aylesford, a walkable area where Ashland, the historic estate of statesperson Henry Clay, is found. Residences in this area and others, like Martin Luther King and the Historic Western Suburb (which is still in town), have all the drool-worthy style you could ask for in a historic, Southern home — elegant brickwork or clapboards and inviting front porches. But some may need a little creative TLC on the inside unless you heart knotty pine as much as they did in the 50s. Hopefully you’ll find one with the original hardwood floors.
Those looking for the sprawls of suburban life will find newer — and more spacious — digs in spiffy areas like Waterford, Harrod’s Hill and Hamburg.
What Job Opportunities Are Available in Lexington?
Just a short distance from the Kentucky state capital, the Lexington-Fayette area has a robust economy, with a civilian labor force of more than 282,000. The government is the largest single sector, supplying nearly 60,000 jobs in the region, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Trade, transportation & utilities support 52,200 positions, while professional and business services and education & health services each supported more than 40,000 jobs as of June 2025.
The unemployment rate in Lexington, Kentucky, fluctuated quite a bit between January and May of 2025, wavering between 4.7% and 3.3%, and settling at 3.7% in May.
The single largest employer in this bluegrass region is the University of Kentucky, which supports nearly 27,000 employees. Toyota Kentucky provides 9,700 manufacturing jobs, while Baptist Health and Amazon each employ around 3,000 individuals. One of the newest additions to the Lex employment landscape is Piramal Pharma Solutions, whose Sterile Injectables facility opened in the city in 2024. Lexington’s robust leisure and hospitality industry (34,700 jobs) supports lots of smaller, creative professions, from those in hotels, restaurants and distilleries to positions in the arts.
Is Lexington a Good Place to Raise a Family?
The home of Kentucky’s flagship university and a top 10 high school, Lexington isn’t just family-friendly, it’s fun and has great educational institutions. The University of Kentucky was founded in 1865 to improve the lives of Bluegrass State residents through education, and it’s still fulfilling that mission today. More than 30,000 students are enrolled at UK, which offers more than 200 academic programs.
Transylvania University — whose mascot is, appropriately, a big-eared bat named Raf — was one of the first 20 colleges in the nation to be established, opening its doors in 1780 as a private liberal arts institution. Bluegrass Community and Tech College rounds out the higher-ed offerings in the city, with many other institutions an easy drive from Lexington, including schools in Louisville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Nashville and St. Louis.
Fayette County Public Schools are also well-respected in the state. Lafayette High School is ranked 8th in Kentucky by the U.S. News & World Report, and Paul Laurence Dunbar High School is ranked 14th. Both have graduation rates of 93% or above. Private schools abound, from elementary institutions like Bluegrass Montessori and the Lexington School to PreK-12 institutions like the Sayre School and Lexington Christian Academy.
What’s There to Do in Lexington, Kentucky?
Fresh Air and Scenic Views
The state of Kentucky is one of the most beautiful and inviting landscapes in the country — and Lexington just happens to be in the heart of these bluegrass hills. With 100+ greenspaces in and around the city, you can explore them any way you like best, whether that’s biking the 12-mile Legacy Trail to the Kentucky Horse Park or running a race yourself, like the annual 10K at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary. Don’t be surprised if you’re bested by a whitetail — deer can be such show-offs.
When you need a day out on the water in this land-locked region, head to Jacobson Park. Rent a pedal boat (or BYO less-frustrating watercraft), or just park yourself in a camping chair and see what you can reel in for dinner. Kids can play in the splash grounds and battle it out on the disc golf course while you tune out the universe for the afternoon.
If neither riding nor racing gets your hooves running, but you still can’t resist that equine gaze, make the short drive out to Old Friends — a retirement village for worthy thoroughbreds that offers swankier stalls than most homes for beloved humans. Visitors can meet stars of the track and studs of the stables, from Triple Crown-winners like Big Brown to newcomers like Redford, a chestnut gelding who’s every bit as handsome as his red-headed namesake.
Arts, Music and Sports
Lexington also shines in the cultural arena, with major museums and performing arts centers and lesser-known holes in the wall, where you can see how deep local talent grows. The University of Kentucky Art Museum is just one of the visual art venues in this Southern city. Not to be overlooked is the fantastic 21c Museum Hotel.
Lovers of the screen and stage will spend many a night at the Lexington’s Lyric Theatre — one of the stops on the Kentucky African American Heritage Trail — where you might see a revival of an August Wilson play, a roaring concert or an enlightening film screening. Thespians will want to check out Studio Players at the Carriage House, a community-based drama organization that hosts a 10-minute play festival —that’s short enough to hold the attention of even the most sleep-prone members of the audience. Except that guy snoring next to you. Clearly nothing can keep him awake in the dark.
For those who prefer faster-paced live action, there’s not much that can outrun a racehorse. See the fastest thoroughbreds on the track at the Fall Meet at Keeneland, the premier racing venue in town. In the realm of horse-free competitions, the University of Kentucky Wildcats are absolute legends on the basketball court, but they also excel in many other arenas, from diving to volleyball. Lexington Sporting Club is the newest addition to the city’s sports scene. The USL teams play at the year-old Lexington SC Stadium, which still has that new soccer ball smell.
Speaking of outdoor events, what Southern city worth its salty attitude doesn’t have a killer music scene? Lexington certainly knows how to line up the headliners during its annual Railbird Festival. Held at the Infield at Red Mile, a gaming and racing complex, visitors this year were treated to the strains of Laney Wilson’s guitar and Jelly Roll’s rhymes. Those looking for the licks of native bluegrass can catch free shows all summer long at the Southland Jamboree or buy a ticket to the now-annual Spirit in the Bluegrass Festival in Georgetown. Other not-to-miss events in the city include the Juneteenth Jubilee and Celebration, the Festival Latino de Lexington and the Big Band and Jazz series in Ecton Park.
Our favorite only-in-Lex fest must be the Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival, which always makes the threads of our soft, woolen hearts go baaaaah. Hand-spun sweaters, sheep’s milk soap, tiny lambs — you will love every minute!
Attractions for Foodies and Bourbon Lovers
While some people might move to Lexington for their career or the region’s rolling hills and valleys, others are getting smart and just moving here for the food. Your family will understand when they taste the friend chicken, so don’t waste too much time explaining. Lexington’s culinary scene elegantly marries old and new — serving regional classics like the Hot Brown and farther-flung treasures like the fritera de bacalao at the Holly Hill Inn in Midway. Our favorite spot to lose ourselves in vine and verse is the Kentucky Native Café, which doubles as a plant nursery (Michler’s) and triples as a venue for the spoken word — there’s an excellent poetry reading series here on the last Monday of the month.
Lexington’s Distillery District is just the tip of the barrel in Bourbon country, and boy, will you ever want to dip into these. Anchored by the long-vacant but now revitalized grounds of the James E. Pepper Distillery, you can sample the firewater straight from the still or enjoy a mellower mug of 15-year rye.
This area is now home to some of the hottest hangouts in Lexington. That includes The Burl, where you can catch live music or give someone a whoopin’ in Q*Bert in their arcade. Then there’s Lost Palm, a trip to South Florida via your tastebuds. We especially love the tropical vibes on the distillery’s rooftop, where a Patron margarita tree awaits you and your soon-to-be-relaxed crew.
Many specialties of the Granddam — one of the district’s most elegant haunts — will have a whiff of the good stuff in their mix, from the bourbon-braised tri tips to the more unusual elk Wellington, glazed with a huitlacoche bourbon demi.
This may be bourbon country, but Lex also shines in the craft suds department. Ethereal Brewing more than pulls its effervescent weight with twisty pours like the Boxy Brown, which has a coconut finish, and the Paddy Cakes rice lager, crafted with Carolina Gold.
If your whistle still isn’t wet enough, take a drive through the region’s bourbon trail, which features well-loved spots like Woodford Reserve, Four Roses and James B. Beam — you might know him better as Jim — but also the lesser-known perfections of Hartfield & Co., who brew their barrels right in Bourbon County.
What Else Should You Know Before Moving to Lexington?
Lexington Weather
Lexington has four true seasons, so you’ll need some gear for all of them. This southern city’s summer temps are tempered by the hills and its more northern climes, but it will still be warm and humid here between May and September. In the wintertime, snow is not unusual — you’ll see an average of 15 inches each year, making the trails for both horses and humans particularly gorgeous.
Lexington gets a lot of rain throughout the year, averaging 4-5” inches per month, so drought and wildfires aren’t really a threat. But flooding and tornadoes are, particularly in the springtime, when storms can drop a month’s worth of precipitation in just a few hours and the waters of the Kentucky River can overrun their banks. The Lexington-Frankfort area endured more than one round of severe flooding in the spring of 2025 — February and May rainfall totaled nearly 7” a piece, but over 10.5” fell in April, forcing schools to close because of roadway conditions.
Best Time to Move to Lexington
While you’ll never be assured a dry day here, the best time to move to Lexington is in the fall — our favorite season — when temperatures are mild, the leaves are changing and the threat of storms has largely passed.
Local Resources for Moving to Lexington
Get a jumpstart on your move by checking out these city resources, which will help you set up certain utilities, find your representatives, and identify fun after-school programs for your kids and more. Utility companies in the area include KU, Columbia Gas of Kentucky, and Kentucky American Water.
How to Plan for a Smooth Move to Lexington?
Moving to Lexington, Kentucky is a big decision, which is why it’s so important to work with a trustworthy professional moving company. During your move, Mayflower will be with you Every Step of the Way®.
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If you’re moving to Lexington, KY from another location in the city or the state of Kentucky, our interstate Kentucky agents/movers can assist you with local moves under their own businesses and brands.
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