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Lexington, KY housing market

Lexington, KY metro median sale price $354K in Jul–Sep 2026, up 3.6% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the Lexington, KY metro is $354K over Jul–Sep 2026, up 3.6% from the same 3 months a year earlier. The gain is larger than in most of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro shows a larger change, up 6.1% through Q2 2026, 2.5 points apart; Price reconciliation below shows both.

Lexington has the highest median sale price of the six Kentucky metros Pecan Street tracks ($354K), ahead of Louisville ($296K). On median days on market, Lexington (50 days) ranks 4th of the six Kentucky metros, between Elizabethtown (60 days) and Louisville (45 days). On share of listings with a price cut, Lexington (44%) ranks 3rd of the six Kentucky metros, between Louisville (46%) and Paducah (40%).

Listings spent a median 50 days on market in Sep 2026, fewer than in most of the 385 metros. 44% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 3.5 points higher. That share is higher than in most of the 385 metros. Median asking prices sit about 13% above the median sale price. Building permits authorized 521 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $1,905 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $82K a year. The median sale price equals about 15 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio down 7.3% from a year earlier. Active listings ask a median $201 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is up 1.7%.

Median list prices are higher than a year earlier in six of the 12 ZIP codes in the table below and lower in six.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$354K

+3.6% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$1,905/mo

$82K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How Lexington compares to other U.S. metros

Asking-vs-sale gap↑25th of 291 (top 9%)
Price cuts↑89th of 385 (top 24%)
Days on market↓271st of 385
Home-price growth↑145th of 383 (top 38%)
Price-to-rent196th of 373

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 15 -7.3% YoY
196th of 373
Asking price / sq ft$201 +1.7% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 44% +3.5 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
↑89th of 385 (top 24%)
New housing units permitted521

The median asking price $399K runs about 13% above the median sale price $354K.

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Sep 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. Asking is the median list price of active listings (Realtor.com, Sep 2026); sale is the headline median of recent closings (Redfin, Jul–Sep 2026) — distinct sources and windows, so the gap is a directional read, not a like-for-like difference. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data12 shown of 25
MLS board of recordLexington-Bluegrass Association of REALTORS
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Housing Economy

Lexington · ConstructionCOPIED

Lexington builders pulled 13.5% fewer single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the Lexington metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct408012016020020252026
AprJulOct408012016020020252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec96106—
Nov86114—
Oct153100—
Sep110109109
Aug125122110
Jul130188118
Jun135121137
May138115127
Apr139153138
Mar133170113
Feb143163123
Jan1239665

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the Lexington metro area pulled 1,360 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 13.5% fewer than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 15.9% below the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the Lexington area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

Lexington · Home pricesCOPIED

Lexington home prices are 6.1% higher than a year ago

Home prices in the Lexington metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

1990200020102020-9%0%9%18%27%Lexington
1990200020102020-9%0%9%18%27%Lexington
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateLexington
Jun 20266.1%
Mar 20265.6%
Dec 20254.9%
Sep 20255.8%
Jun 20253.6%
Mar 20256%
Dec 20246.4%
Sep 20244.7%
Jun 20247.3%
Mar 20249.2%
Dec 20238%
Sep 20238.5%
Jun 20237.6%
Mar 202310.3%
Dec 202212.7%
Sep 202216.1%
Jun 202220.1%
Mar 202216.6%
Dec 202116.5%
Sep 202114.2%
Jun 202110.9%
Mar 20217%
Dec 20205.3%
Sep 20205.5%
Jun 20204%
Mar 20205.3%
Dec 20195.5%
Sep 20193.8%
Jun 20194.2%
Mar 20193.9%
Dec 20184%
Sep 20185%
Jun 20185.1%
Mar 20186.4%
Dec 20176%
Sep 20175.7%
Jun 20175.7%
Mar 20174.5%
Dec 20164.1%
Sep 20165.3%
Jun 20164.1%
Mar 20163.2%
Dec 20153.8%
Sep 20152.3%
Jun 20153.8%
Mar 20153.6%
Dec 20143.1%
Sep 20141.9%
Jun 2014-0.2%
Mar 2014-0.5%
Dec 2013-0.7%
Sep 2013-0.1%
Jun 20131.9%
Mar 20130.5%
Dec 20120.1%
Sep 20121.3%
Jun 2012-0.3%
Mar 2012-0.3%
Dec 2011-1.4%
Sep 2011-1.9%
Jun 2011-0.9%
Mar 2011-0.6%
Dec 2010-0.4%
Sep 20100%
Jun 2010-1.9%
Mar 2010-2.5%
Dec 2009-0.7%
Sep 2009-1.2%
Jun 2009-1%
Mar 20090.1%
Dec 2008-0.6%
Sep 20080.2%
Jun 20081.5%
Mar 20081.2%
Dec 20071.9%
Sep 20071.1%
Jun 20072.4%
Mar 20071.7%
Dec 20062.5%
Sep 20062.7%
Jun 20063.8%
Mar 20066.3%
Dec 20055.3%
Sep 20056.5%
Jun 20055.8%
Mar 20055.1%
Dec 20046.2%
Sep 20046.2%
Jun 20045.6%
Mar 20045.4%
Dec 20034.7%
Sep 20034.3%
Jun 20034%
Mar 20034.1%
Dec 20023.9%
Sep 20023.1%
Jun 20023.4%
Mar 20023%
Dec 20014.1%
Sep 20014.9%
Jun 20014.5%
Mar 20015.4%
Dec 20005.5%
Sep 20004.9%
Jun 20005.5%
Mar 20006.4%
Dec 19995.8%
Sep 19996.2%
Jun 19997.2%
Mar 19996.6%
Dec 19985.2%
Sep 19985.4%
Jun 19984.2%
Mar 19983.7%
Dec 19974.3%
Sep 19973.7%
Jun 19973.9%
Mar 19973.9%
Dec 19964.2%
Sep 19963.6%
Jun 19963.1%
Mar 19963.5%
Dec 19953.5%
Sep 19953.1%
Jun 19953.9%
Mar 19954.2%
Dec 19943.7%
Sep 19944.9%
Jun 19943.9%
Mar 19942.6%
Dec 19932.2%
Sep 19932%
Jun 19932.3%
Mar 19932.2%
Dec 19921.7%
Sep 19922.4%
Jun 19922.1%
Mar 19921.9%
Dec 19912.9%
Sep 19911.8%
Jun 19910.7%
Mar 19910.8%
Dec 19900%
Sep 19900.1%
Jun 19902.4%
Mar 19902%
Dec 19891.9%
Sep 19891.9%
Jun 19890.6%
Mar 19891.4%
Dec 19883.9%
Sep 19884.4%
Jun 19883%
Mar 19883.9%
Dec 19871.6%
Sep 19872.4%
Jun 19874.8%
Mar 19873.8%
Dec 19865.9%
Sep 19864.7%
Jun 19861.5%
Mar 19864.2%
Dec 19854%
Sep 19853.7%
Jun 19854.6%
Mar 19851%
Dec 1984-8.7%
Sep 19842.3%
Jun 19845.6%
Mar 19845.2%
Dec 198320.1%
Sep 19837.1%
Jun 19831.7%
Mar 198313.4%
Dec 19821.1%
Sep 1982-1.2%
Jun 19820.6%
Mar 19820.2%
Dec 19814.9%
Sep 19819.7%
Jun 198116.4%
Mar 198110.7%
Dec 1980-2.3%
Sep 1980-3.3%
Jun 1980-6%
Mar 1980-7.8%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Lexington metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 6.1% above its level a year earlier. Since 1980, prices have risen an average of 3.9% a year. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Lexington home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

amber · 2.5pp

Redfin (metro)

+3.6%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+6.1%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

More markets in KY

Bowling GreenElizabethtownLouisvilleOwensboroPaducah

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
40324$390K↓154↓80↑68↑48↓$344K↑
40356$433K↑176↑68↓72↑59↑$328K↑
40361$295K↑52↓24↓12↓52↑$263K↓
40383$495K↓72↑28↓12↓90↑$368K↓
40391$325K↓109↓32↓32↑63↑$252K↑
40502$720K↓71↓24↓36↑54↓$563K↑
40503$375K↑60↑28↑28↓42↑$347K↑
40508$282K↑72↑12↑28↑53↑$227K↑
40509$485K↓154↓48↓52↓53↓$404K↑
40511$373K↑88↑44↓32↑45$314K↑
40515$470K↓110↑40↑48↑53↑$383K↑
40517$270K↑76↑28↓28↑26↓$255K↑

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.