Lexington, KY vs Louisville, KY
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Jun 2026
Report card
| Category | LexingtonLexington, KY | LouisvilleLouisville, KY | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Average | Average | Same |
| Cost of Living | |||
| Crime | Moderate | Elevated | |
| Education | |||
| Quality of Life | Good | Great | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | Same |
| Strategic | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | Same |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
225 violent crimes per 100,000 people in Lexington, KY compared to 584 in Louisville, KY, a difference where Louisville's rate is 2.6 times higher, based on 2025 FBI data. In 2023 Census figures, Lexington's air quality index of 41 sits at the 42nd percentile, while Louisville's 50 is at the 80th percentile, meaning Louisville has a 22% higher AQI. Population density also differs sharply, with Louisville at 2,385 people per square mile (68th percentile) versus Lexington's 1,131 (32nd percentile), making Louisville 2.1 times denser.
Traffic deaths per 100,000 people are 14 in Lexington (42nd percentile) and 28 in Louisville (74th percentile), a rate that is 2.0 times higher in Louisville. Job growth over the past year was 1.4% in Lexington (62nd percentile) compared to 0.5% in Louisville (34th percentile), a difference of 0.9 percentage points. Educational attainment varies notably, with 47.3% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher in Lexington (76th percentile) versus 33.4% in Louisville (53rd percentile), a 13.9 percentage point gap. The median age in Louisville is 37.7 years (48th percentile), 2.5 years older than Lexington's 35.2 years (27th percentile).
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
Looking at homes in Lexington or Louisville?
Get a property report for a specific address.
Free account required. Your first report is free.
Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Lexington, KY | Louisville, KY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 9545th pctl | 8736th pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Lexington, KY 95; Louisville, KY 87; Lexington is 9% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $272,10049th pctl | $221,50035th pctl | Median home value: Lexington, KY $272,100; Louisville, KY $221,500; Lexington is 23% higher. |
| Median rent | $1,10141st pctl | $1,06938th pctl | About the same |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $67,63143rd pctl | $64,73137th pctl | About the same |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $52,86449th pctl | $43,03335th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Lexington, KY $52,864; Louisville, KY $43,033; Lexington is 23% higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $77,71049th pctl | $63,25935th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Lexington, KY $77,710; Louisville, KY $63,259; Lexington is 23% higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Affordable | Affordable | Housing affordability: Lexington, KY B+; Louisville, KY A+; Louisville is graded higher. |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Louisville needs about
$68,700
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 95 vs 87). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Lexington, KY | Louisville, KY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 4.0%66th pctl | 4.6%85th pctl | Unemployment: Lexington, KY 4.0%; Louisville, KY 4.6%; Louisville is 0.6 points higher. |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | +1.4%62nd pctl | +0.5%34th pctl | Job growth (YoY): Lexington, KY +1.4%; Louisville, KY +0.5%; Lexington is 0.9 points higher. |
| Per-capita income | $42,27262nd pctl | $38,89053rd pctl | Per-capita income: Lexington, KY $42,272; Louisville, KY $38,890; Lexington is 9% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 15.7%69th pctl | 16.1%70th pctl | About the same |
| CommuteAverage commute | 20.8 min32nd pctl | 22.7 min45th pctl | Average commute: Lexington, KY 20.8 min; Louisville, KY 22.7 min; Louisville is 2 minutes longer. |
| Work from home | 10.9%52nd pctl | 11.6%56th pctl | About the same |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Stable | Stable | About the same |
| Job market | Strong | Stable | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Lexington, KY | Louisville, KY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 22550th pctl | 58490th pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Lexington, KY 225; Louisville, KY 584; Louisville is 2.6 times higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 2,05578th pctl | 3,04792nd pctl | Property crime per 100k: Lexington, KY 2,055; Louisville, KY 3,047; Louisville is 48% higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Falling | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Fair | Dangerous | Crime & safety: Lexington, KY C+; Louisville, KY D+; Lexington is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | DangerousCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | Traffic safety: Lexington, KY B+; Louisville, KY D; Lexington is graded higher. |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Lexington, KY | Louisville, KY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| ClimateClimate comfort | Comfortable | Humid | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
3 rows not shown: broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in Kentucky, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See Kentucky →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Lexington, KY | Louisville, KY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 3 mi2nd pctl | 8 mi9th pctl | Nearest large city: Lexington, KY 3 mi; Louisville, KY 8 mi; Louisville is 3.4 times higher. |
| Target proximity | Good | Fair | Target proximity: Lexington, KY B+; Louisville, KY B-; Lexington is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 358 mi54th pctl | 375 mi56th pctl | About the same |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 426 mi64th pctl | 479 mi68th pctl | Distance to coastline: Lexington, KY 426 mi; Louisville, KY 479 mi; Louisville is 12% higher. |
| StrategicStrategic location | Vulnerable | Vulnerable | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Lexington, KY | Louisville, KY | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 321,12298th pctl | 627,21099th pctl | Population: Lexington, KY 321,122; Louisville, KY 627,210; Louisville is 95% larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 1,13132nd pctl | 2,38568th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Lexington, KY 1,131; Louisville, KY 2,385; Louisville is 2.1 times higher. |
| Median age | 35.227th pctl | 37.748th pctl | Median age: Lexington, KY 35.2; Louisville, KY 37.7; Louisville is 2.5 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.3%76th pctl | 33.4%53rd pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Lexington, KY 47.3%; Louisville, KY 33.4%; Lexington is 13.9 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.223rd pctl | 2.336th pctl | About the same |
More about Lexington's residents · Louisville's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
| Measure | LexingtonLexington, KY | LouisvilleLouisville, KY |
|---|---|---|
| Cook PVI | R+7 | D+10 |
| 2024 presidential | R +15.0 pts | D +19.0 pts |
Full politics data: Lexington · Louisville
Moving between Lexington and Louisville
- Median rent: $1,101 in Lexington, $1,069 in Louisville
- Median home value: $272,100 in Lexington, $221,500 in Louisville
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 95 in Lexington, 87 in Louisville
- Median household income: $67,631 in Lexington, $64,731 in Louisville
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $77,710 in Lexington, $63,259 in Louisville
- Unemployment: 4.0% in Lexington, 4.6% in Louisville
- Average commute: 20.8 min in Lexington, 22.7 min in Louisville
- Violent crime per 100k: 225 in Lexington, 584 in Louisville
Weigh these by what matters to you
ReloMaps in ChatGPT can look at Lexington and Louisville against your own priorities, like budget, commute or climate.
Use ReloMaps in ChatGPT →Found a home in Lexington or Louisville?
A property report covers the address itself: the block, the neighbourhood data, risks and more, beyond these city-wide figures.
Free account required. Your first report is free.
Compare a different pair
More places like Lexington and Louisville
- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
ReloMaps may earn a commission from affiliate links at no extra cost to you.