Urban county · Kentucky
Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
Lexington-Fayette, urban county, in Fayette County, Kentucky. Lexington-Fayette is the Census Bureau's name for Lexington. Lexington-Fayette had 329,751 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 322,570 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 323,725 (controlled total). GEOID 2146027.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
329,751
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 322,570 · ACS 2020-2024: 323,725
Median household income
$69,479
±$1,691 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $63,726
Median home value
$293,500
±$5,552 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $205,600
Median gross rent
$1,164
±$18 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $967
Where is Lexington-Fayette and what county is it in?
Lexington-Fayette is an urban county in Fayette County, Kentucky. It covers 283.9 square miles of land, 1,136 residents per square mile in 2020.
Lexington-Fayette is in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 6 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Lexington-Fayette covers the same area as Fayette County: the urban county and the county are one area, so the county's figures are Lexington-Fayette's; the county page lists its census tracts.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Lexington-Fayette, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 329,751 people lived in Lexington-Fayette on July 1, 2025, up 2.2% since 2020, in line with Kentucky (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 322,570 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 323,725.
| Measure | Lexington-Fayette | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 323,725 | 4,534,824 | +3,124 |
| Households | 139,715 ±787 | 1,814,469 | +9,931 |
| Average household size | 2.23 ±0.01 | 2.43 | −0.14 |
| Housing units | 148,959 ±115 | 2,023,116 | +7,306 |
Lexington-Fayette's population since 2000
From 260,512 in 2000 to 329,751 in 2025: up 26.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Lexington-Fayette as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Lexington-Fayette?
The median resident of Lexington-Fayette is 35.3 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 14.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 14.4%. 11.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Lexington-Fayette | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 ±0.1 | 39.1 | +0.7 |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% | 22.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.7% ±0.1 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Male | 49.3% ±0.1 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.5% | 5.0% | +2.3 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 66.7% ±0.1 pts | 81.5% | −4.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 14.4% ±0.3 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±0.1 pts | 1.6% | +0.6 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.7% ±0.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 11.9% ±0.5 pts | 4.7% | +2.2 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 15.9% ±0.7 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.0% ±0.4 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 13.3% ±0.5 pts | 17.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.2% ±0.5 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1% ±0.5 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 48.3% ±1.0 pts | 27.6% | +4.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 21.0% ±0.9 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 79.8% ±0.8 pts | 87.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.7% ±0.4 pts | 2.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Lexington-Fayette earn?
Half of Lexington-Fayette's 139,715 households earn less than $69,479 a year (±$1,691), against $69,479 in Fayette County and $63,726 in Kentucky. In 2015-2019 it was $70,508 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Lexington-Fayette | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,479 ±$1,691 | $63,726 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $101,608 ±$2,318 | $87,807 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,790 ±$977 | $35,821 | +$1,402 |
| People below the poverty line | 14.9% ±0.9 pts | 16.1% | −1.9 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.9% ±2.4 pts | 20.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5% ±0.7 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.8% ±0.4 pts | 93.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.5% ±0.6 pts | 88.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Lexington-Fayette?
Owners occupy 53.8% of Lexington-Fayette's occupied homes and renters 46.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $293,500 by its owner (±$5,552). The median renter pays $1,164 a month including utilities, and 40.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Lexington-Fayette | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $293,500 ±$5,552 | $205,600 | +$59,914 |
| Median gross rent | $1,164 ±$18 | $967 | +$61 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.0% ±1.9 pts | 36.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,636 ±$27 | $1,433 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 53.8% ±0.8 pts | 68.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 46.2% ±0.8 pts | 31.7% | – |
| Housing units | 148,959 ±115 | 2,023,116 | +7,306 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5% ±0.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.8% ±0.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 58.4% ±0.8 pts | 67.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.1% ±0.2 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.7% ±0.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.9% ±0.6 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.8% ±0.4 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.2% ±0.6 pts | 6.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Lexington-Fayette building?
Builders took permits for 1,052 new housing units in Lexington-Fayette in 2025 (507 in single-family houses), 3.2 per 1,000 residents against 3.2 across Kentucky.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Lexington-Fayette work and get to work?
73.1% of Lexington-Fayette's workers drive alone and 12.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.
| Measure | Lexington-Fayette | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.4% ±0.6 pts | 59.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% ±0.5 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 73.1% ±1.1 pts | 76.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.7% ±0.7 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.5% ±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 3.1% ±0.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.2% ±0.7 pts | 10.2% | +7.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.9 min ±0.5 | 24.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Lexington-Fayette?
82 census tracts lie mostly in Lexington-Fayette (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $18,929 (Tract 8.01) to $248,571 (Tract 23.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 39.13Fayette County | 9,517 | $150,208 |
| Tract 37.04Fayette County | 8,656 | $107,867 |
| Tract 42.08Fayette County | 7,649 | $127,942 |
| Tract 39.08Fayette County | 7,169 | $100,117 |
| Tract 42.05Fayette County | 6,994 | $107,472 |
| Tract 38.04Fayette County | 6,447 | $51,303 |
| Tract 34.06Fayette County | 6,242 | $78,407 |
| Tract 40.01Fayette County | 6,230 | $47,002 |
| Tract 34.05Fayette County | 5,956 | $61,321 |
| Tract 42.10Fayette County | 5,941 | $93,548 |
| Tract 32.02Fayette County | 5,883 | $48,427 |
| Tract 41.07Fayette County | 5,772 | $123,309 |
Every census tract in Lexington-Fayette: the tract table of Fayette County
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Lexington-Fayette) · Census block assignment files
How does Lexington-Fayette compare with other places in Kentucky?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Lexington-Fayette is the 59th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 2nd-most populous of 418 in Kentucky.
Lexington-Fayette ranks 71st of 230 places in Kentucky with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 2nd | 418 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 84th | 204 |
| Residents per square mile | 111th | 232 |
| Median household income | 71st | 230 |
| Per capita income | 42nd | 232 |
| Median home value | 31st | 225 |
| Median gross rent | 44th | 217 |
| Poverty rate | 137th | 203 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29th | 223 |
| Median age | 176th | 232 |
| Owner-occupied share | 160th | 229 |
| Work from home | 67th | 130 |
| Travel time to work | 139th | 232 |
Lexington-Fayette's figures with every place in Kentucky (CSV)
Every place in Kentucky, sortable · Compare Lexington-Fayette with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Lexington-Fayette?
2 of the 57 figures for Lexington-Fayette on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Lexington-Fayette are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Lexington-Fayette.