Lexington-Fayette vs Louisville
Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky versus Louisville, 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 and Louisville score about the same overall (52 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lexington-Fayette | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $63k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $48k |
| Home Value | $248k | $205k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.92% | 0.87% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.93% | 9.31% |
| Unemployment | 5.0% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 34°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.8 in | 48.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 14.5 in | 13.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 230 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 40.1 | 63.4 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.6 | 72.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1603/100k | 1746/100k |
| Property Crime | 2927/100k | 2968/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 321,276 | 629,176 |
| Median Age | 35.2 | 37.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.46 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+21 | D+21 |
| White (%) | 69.6% | 62.9% |
| Black (%) | 14.6% | 23.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.4% | 6.8% |
| Asian (%) | 4.1% | 2.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.2% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 13.8/20 | 12.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 70 mi | 3 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.6% | 88.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.66 | 6.95 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
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 Lexington-Fayette or Louisville more affordable?
- Lexington-Fayette has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Lexington-Fayette's $44k and Louisville's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Lexington-Fayette versus $1k in Louisville.
- Is Lexington-Fayette or Louisville safer?
- Lexington-Fayette has the lower violent crime rate. Lexington-Fayette reports 1603/100k and Louisville reports 1746/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lexington-Fayette or Louisville?
- The median home value is $248k in Lexington-Fayette and $205k in Louisville, so homes are more affordable in Louisville.