Cost of Living in Lexington, KY
Lexington-Fayette, KY — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Lexington, KY to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Lexington, KY?
With a price level of 92.9 (U.S. average = 100), Lexington, KY is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 23% below average; everyday goods are 4% below average; utilities are 25% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 3% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Lexington, KY vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 92.9 | −7.1% |
| Housing | 77.1 | −22.9% |
| Goods | 96.2 | −3.8% |
| Utilities | 74.6 | −25.4% |
| Other services | 96.9 | −3.1% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Lexington, KY
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $883 | $35,320/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,079 | $43,160/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,272 | $50,880/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,743 | $69,720/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,940 | $77,600/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Lexington, KY
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Lexington, KY | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $37,200 | $30,886 |
| $60,000 | $55,700 | $45,103 |
| $80,000 | $74,300 | $58,617 |
| $100,000 | $92,900 | $71,051 |
| $150,000 | $139,300 | $101,720 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Kentucky 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Lexington, KY's median wage of $48,620 takes home about $3,305 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,079, which is 33% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,226 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Lexington, KY
- Federal income tax$3,654
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,014
- Medicare (1.45%)$705
- Kentucky income tax$1,584
- Take-home pay$39,662
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.50% state
Highest-paying jobs in Lexington, KY
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Kentucky cities
Half of Kentucky’s 2,000,360 workers earn less than $46,920 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $35,410–$66,760 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Paducah, KY stretches a paycheck furthest, while Clarksville, TN is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH | $50,170 | 95.4 | $1,043 | 31% | $2,361 | $42,837 |
| Louisville, KY | $48,370 | 93.1 | $1,026 | 31% | $2,263 | $42,407 |
| Lexington, KY | $48,620 | 92.9 | $1,079 | 33% | $2,226 | $42,698 |
| Huntington, WV | $44,600 | 88.4 | $829 | 27% | $2,219 | $41,362 |
| Clarksville, TN | $44,860 | 90.9 | $1,082 | 35% | $1,982 | $40,433 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $45,040 | 90.2 | $937 | 30% | $2,139 | $40,931 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $46,810 | 90.6 | $846 | 27% | $2,343 | $42,255 |
| Paducah, KY | $45,860 | 86.1 | $843 | 27% | $2,285 | $43,610 |
| Owensboro, KY | $44,960 | 88.6 | $846 | 28% | $2,225 | $41,586 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Lexington, KY vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington, KY | 92.9 | $1,079 | $48,620 | 286,910 |
| Portland, ME | 101.9 | $1,548 | $56,960 | 288,480 |
| Stockton, CA | 105.1 | $1,395 | $48,990 | 289,660 |
| Toledo, OH | 91.5 | $820 | $48,220 | 291,530 |
| New Haven, CT | 104.6 | $1,591 | $60,060 | 281,410 |
| McAllen, TX | 85.9 | $847 | $35,830 | 296,700 |
| Reno, NV | 101.0 | $1,444 | $49,660 | 275,680 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Lexington, KY expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area are 92.9% of the U.S. average, with housing at 77.1%. It is the #212 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Lexington, KY?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $55,733 in Lexington, KY (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $48,620.
Can you afford Lexington, KY on the median wage?
A single worker on the $48,620 median wage takes home about $3,305 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,079 would take 33% of that.
How much is rent in Lexington, KY?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Lexington, KY are $883 for a studio, $1,079 for one bedroom, $1,272 for two bedrooms and $1,743 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Lexington, KY
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $80,440
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $79,040
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Nursing Assistant — $39,380
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $35,190
Protective Service Occupations
- Security Guard — $35,400
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,350
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,910
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,990
- Cooks, Fast Food — $26,840
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
Personal Care and Service Occupations
- Animal Caretaker — $34,590
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $30,100
- Cashier — $29,590
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $59,300
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $48,000
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $47,790
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $44,450
- Office Clerks, General — $40,250
- Customer Service Representative — $39,160
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $44,910
Production Occupations
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $59,730
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $56,950
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $41,910
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,080