Lexington-Fayette urban county receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Nicholasville
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs58 · Top 47%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
74 · Top 30%
vs74 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
75 · Top 31%
vs74 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs81 · Top 49%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs62 · Top 36%
Access
58 · Bottom 6%
vs56 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 38%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Nicholasville | Lexington-Fayette urban county | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,197 | 323,725 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,503 | $69,479 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,714 | $43,790 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,117/sq mi | 1,140/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $226,800 | $293,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,147 | $1,164 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.2% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.9% | 48.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 267 | 1,377 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.2% | 54.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 49.8" | 49.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 22.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 77 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.74 | 14.11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.8% | 33.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.6% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.8% | 50.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
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Nicholasville
65
Your Score
65
Area Score
Lexington-Fayette urban county
66
Your Score
67
Area Score
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Full profiles: Nicholasville, KY · Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY · How this is calculated: methodology