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Living in
Lexington.
About
Life in Lexington
Lexington is a community of 24,132 people in South Carolina. The median household income is $87,126, median rent runs about $1,545 per month, and median home values are around $297,700. Unemployment is low at 3.5%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Lexington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.4%
Foreign-Born
10.1%
Broadband Internet
93.5%
of households
Population Growth
+8.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.1% foreign-born, most often from India
Who lives in Lexington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Lexington, the largest foreign-born group is from India (29.3%), and 4.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.1%
of residents
65 and Older
16.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.4%
of households
Married Couples
54.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.42
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 31% above SC average
Rent, home values, and income in Lexington
In Lexington, rent runs 31% above the SC average, and home values are 15% above the SC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,541
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
68.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2002
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $305,130 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below SC average
Unemployment in Lexington
Unemployment in Lexington is 0.9 percentage points lower than the SC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
What Lexington Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute25.2 min avg
How Lexington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Lexington, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
Small hub663k passengers boarded in 2025
- 87 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 48% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Lexington runs 48% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
170.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,182.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Lexington Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lexington County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lexington County, which includes Lexington, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16.0M |
| 2023 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $532,800 |
| 2022 | 30 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6,350 |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $41,030 |
| 2020 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $14,160 |
| 2019 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $750 |
| 2018 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $85,600 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
4 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lexington County, county-wide
Air Quality47 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Richland County, SC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 19 miles from Lexington) is typically good — 212 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
47
Good Days
212
per year
Moderate Days
153
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Richland County, SC (19 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Lexington has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.5"
Annual Snowfall
1.2"
Hot Days/Year
81
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
47
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 35°F | 3.49" |
| Feb | 61°F | 37°F | 3.39" |
| Mar | 68°F | 44°F | 3.57" |
| Apr | 77°F | 52°F | 2.83" |
| May | 84°F | 61°F | 3.49" |
| Jun | 90°F | 69°F | 4.97" |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 5.35" |
| Aug | 91°F | 71°F | 4.65" |
| Sep | 86°F | 65°F | 3.91" |
| Oct | 77°F | 53°F | 3.13" |
| Nov | 66°F | 42°F | 2.76" |
| Dec | 59°F | 37°F | 3.70" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Lexington
Uninsured
5.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Lexington's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Three Rivers Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · 6 mi away · West Columbia
Lexington Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · West Columbia
Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.7 mi away · Columbia
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Lexington
Lexington's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 50.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Lexington (within 15 miles)
University of South Carolina-Columbia
11.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 29,820 students · in-state tuition $12,688 · 77% graduate · median earnings $69,024 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,536 students · in-state tuition $18,103 · 26% graduate · median earnings $36,562 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,343 students · in-state tuition $24,436 · 57% graduate · median earnings $46,266 (10 yrs after entry)
Columbia International University
10.3 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 716 students · in-state tuition $27,900 · 67% graduate · median earnings $44,657 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 576 students · in-state tuition $14,304 · 22% graduate · median earnings $32,754 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Congaree National Park, 30 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Lexington
Lexington has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Congaree National Park (30 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Congaree National Park
National Park
30 mi awayNinety Six National Historic Site
National Historic Site
47 mi awayKings Mountain National Military Park
National Military Park
80 mi awayOvermountain Victory National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
80 mi awayCowpens National Battlefield
National Battlefield
86 mi awayPublic Libraries in Lexington
Lexington County Public Library System
5440 Augusta Road, Lexington
Cities Near Lexington
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Lexington?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Lexington FAQ
Is Lexington, South Carolina affordable?⌄
Lexington's median rent is $1,545/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $87,126/year. Median home value is $297,700.
Is Lexington, South Carolina safe?⌄
Lexington's violent crime rate was 171 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1182 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Lexington, South Carolina?⌄
Lexington has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Lexington, South Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Lexington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,545/month and median household income is $87,126/year. The median home value is $297,700. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Lexington, South Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Lexington is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from