The Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan statistical area, as BLS defines it.
Pay data · metro area
Average Salary in Lexington, KY (2026)
The average salary in the Lexington metro area is $62,210 a year and the median is $48,620: 5% below the US median and 4% above Kentucky's (BLS, May 2025). At national-average prices the median is worth $52,340, 142nd of 387 metro areas.
- Average (mean) salary
- $62,210US $69,770
- Median salary
- $48,620US $50,980
- Median hourly
- $23.38BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Price level
- 92.9US = 100 · BEA 2024
The spread
What workers in Lexington earn
| Percentile | Lexington area | Kentucky | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $28,820 | $27,970 | $31,200 |
| 25th | $36,260 | $35,410 | $37,590 |
| 50th (median) | $48,620 | $46,920 | $50,980 |
| 75th | $75,360 | $66,760 | $80,520 |
| 90th | $103,390 | $98,380 | $128,560 |
| Mean | $62,210 | $58,990 | $69,770 |
Prices
Cost of living in Lexington
BEA Regional Price Parities put the Lexington area at 92.9 against a US average of 100. Matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $92,890 here. Compare with another city.
US = 100
- All items92.9
- Housing (rents)77.1
- Goods96.2
- Utilities74.6
- Other services96.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| All items | 92.9 |
| Housing (rents) | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 |
| Other services | 96.9 |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Common jobs
What common jobs pay in Lexington
Mean annual wage in the Lexington area against the national mean for the same occupation (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Occupation | Lexington area | US mean | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $86,050 | $101,420 | -15% |
| Software Developer | $128,480 | $148,100 | -13% |
| Elementary School Teacher | $62,910 | $72,650 | -13% |
| Accountant | $84,220 | $94,750 | -11% |
| Electrician | $57,410 | $71,490 | -20% |
| Truck Driver | $63,290 | $59,710 | +6% |
| Customer Service Representative | $43,280 | $46,590 | -7% |
| Retail Salesperson | $33,380 | $37,310 | -11% |
| Nursing Assistant | $40,210 | $42,700 | -6% |
| General and Operations Manager | $102,360 | $134,940 | -24% |
| Maintenance and Repair Worker, General | $48,320 | $53,780 | -10% |
| Cook, Restaurant | $34,740 | $38,730 | -10% |
The jobs
Best-paying jobs in Lexington
BLS publishes estimates for 464 occupations in this metro. Highest mean pay, and the large occupations this area pays furthest above their national average.
Highest-paying jobs
Mean annual wage
- 1Nurse Anesthetist$237,660
- 2Ophthalmologist, Except Pediatric$232,560
- 3General Internal Medicine Physician$220,790
- 4Neurologist$213,600
- 5Economics Teacher, Postsecondary$205,000
- 6Obstetrician and Gynecologist$203,840
- 7Emergency Medicine Physician$188,280
- 8Education Administrator, Postsecondary$179,150
- 9Psychiatrist$173,870
- 10Pediatrician, General$173,680
Jobs Lexington pays above the national average
Occupations with 100,000+ US workers
- 1Education Administrator, Postsecondary$179,150 · +42%
- 2Coach and Scout$82,700 · +37%
- 3Team Assembler$62,460 · +34%
- 4Food Batchmaker$57,970 · +33%
- 5Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic$53,480 · +16%
- 6Bus Driver, School$53,930 · +11%
- 7Multiple Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic$55,180 · +10%
- 8Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agent and Travel Clerk$53,870 · +9%
- 9Insurance Claim and Policy Processing Clerk$57,220 · +8%
- 10Career/Technical Education Teacher, Secondary School$78,270 · +8%
Compare
Other metro areas in Kentucky
Method
About these numbers
- All-occupations wages for the metro are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 estimates (api.bls.gov). Wage and salary workers only; excludes the self-employed.
- Pay by occupation is the OEWS May 2025 mean for that occupation in this metro, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 prevailing-wage file. Only figures BLS estimated for this metro itself are used, never state or national fallbacks.
- Price levels are BEA Regional Price Parities for 2024. Price-adjusted pay is a NueCareer calculation (wage ÷ RPP/100).
Questions
Average salary in Lexington: FAQ
What is the average salary in Lexington?
Across all occupations in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area, the average (mean) annual wage is $62,210 and the median is $48,620, 5% below the US median (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That covers 286,910 wage and salary jobs.
What is a good salary in Lexington?
Above $48,620 out-earns half of workers in the Lexington area; the top 25% start at $75,360 and the top 10% at $103,390. Prices run 7% below the national average (BEA, 2024), so matching a $100,000 national-average lifestyle takes about $92,890 here.
Is Lexington expensive to live in?
BEA's price level for the Lexington metro is 92.9 (US = 100, 2024). Housing rents are 77.1, goods 96.2, utilities 74.6. At local prices the median wage is worth $52,340, 142nd of 387 metros.
What are the highest-paying jobs in Lexington?
By mean annual wage: Nurse Anesthetist ($237,660), Ophthalmologist, Except Pediatric ($232,560), General Internal Medicine Physician ($220,790), Neurologist ($213,600), Economics Teacher, Postsecondary ($205,000) (BLS OEWS May 2025, via the DOL wage file).