Average Rent in Lexington, KY (2026)

Typical asking rent in Lexington is $1,556. Across the 11 ZIP codes with data it runs from $1,197 to $2,038, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of September 2026.

Median rent
$1,556
Average rent
$1,629
Lowest ZIP
$1,197
Highest ZIP
$2,038

Rent by ZIP code in Lexington

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
40503Fayette County$2,038+31%
40514Fayette County$2,011+29%
40511Fayette County$1,945+25%
40504Fayette County$1,894+22%
40502Fayette County$1,582+2%
40509Fayette County$1,5560%
40515Fayette County$1,499-4%
40508Fayette County$1,468-6%
40517Fayette County$1,383-11%
40507Fayette County$1,350-13%
40505Fayette County$1,197-23%

Rent by bedroom count in Lexington

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Fayette County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$986+11.7%
1 bedroom$1,205+11.7%
2 bedroom$1,416+11.3%
3 bedroom$1,948+11.8%
4 bedroom$2,108+8.7%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Lexington?

Typical rent across Fayette County is $1,628 as of September 2026. That is up 3.8% from a year earlier and up 40.2% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Fayette CountyChange
2021$1,193+12.7%
2022$1,297+8.7%
2023$1,376+6.1%
2024$1,453+5.6%
2025$1,584+9.0%
2026 (through September)$1,628+2.7%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Lexington rent questions

What is the average rent in Lexington, KY?
Typical asking rent in Lexington is $1,556 a month as of September 2026, across 11 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,197 to $2,038.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Lexington?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Fayette County is $1,416 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,205 and a three bedroom is $1,948. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Lexington?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Fayette County is $1,628 as of September 2026, up 3.8% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Lexington?
ZIP 40505 has the lowest typical asking rent in Lexington at $1,197 a month, compared with $1,556 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Lexington?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Lexington rent of $1,556, that is about $4,668 a month, or $56,016 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Lexington sits in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area.

Other Kentucky cities

Would a rental in Lexington cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Lexington median rent of $1,556 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.