Covington vs Lexington-Fayette
Covington, Kentucky versus Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lexington-Fayette edges out Covington on overall objective livability (52 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Covington | Lexington-Fayette |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $44k |
| Home Value | $154k | $248k |
| Monthly Rent | $877 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.17% | 0.92% |
| Income Tax | 7.00% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.31% | 9.93% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 34°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.4 in | 49.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.3 in | 14.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 230 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 66°F |
| Comfortable Days | 71 days | 83 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 51.4 | 40.1 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.6 | 62.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1594/100k | 1603/100k |
| Property Crime | 1766/100k | 2927/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 40,923 | 321,276 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 35.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.46 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+20 | D+21 |
| White (%) | 76.4% | 69.6% |
| Black (%) | 9.6% | 14.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.5% | 7.4% |
| Asian (%) | 1.1% | 4.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 12.5/20 | 13.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 70 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.1% | 90.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 104.34 | 15.66 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Covington or Lexington-Fayette more affordable?
- Lexington-Fayette has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Covington's $46k and Lexington-Fayette's $44k. Median rent is $877 in Covington versus $1k in Lexington-Fayette.
- Is Covington or Lexington-Fayette safer?
- Covington has the lower violent crime rate. Covington reports 1594/100k and Lexington-Fayette reports 1603/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Covington or Lexington-Fayette?
- The median home value is $154k in Covington and $248k in Lexington-Fayette, so homes are more affordable in Covington.