01 · the cities
Birmingham
Birmingham was built on steel and reshaped by the civil rights movement, and you can feel both stories in the city. The Civil Rights Institute is essential, the food scene (Highlands Bar and Grill, Hot and Hot Fish Club, plenty more) is one of the most acclaimed in the South. The Vulcan statue, the largest cast-iron statue in the world, looks down on the city from Red Mountain. Younger than its reputation suggests.
full dispatch→Lexington
Lexington is the Thoroughbred horse capital of the world, with bluegrass-fed horse farms surrounding the city in white-fenced perfection. Keeneland racetrack is one of the most beautiful in the world. The bourbon trail starts right here. Downtown is small but tightening up nicely with food and bars. The University of Kentucky's blue bleeds through everything.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,407/mo
$1,488/mo
$81/mo more than Birmingham (5%)
Median home price
Median home price
$261k
$324k
$64k more than Birmingham
State income tax
State income tax
5.0%
4.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,510/mo
$6,470/mo
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
171 days
171 days
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
28 days
1 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
4 days
19 days
days below 20°F per year
Birmingham has 27 more days above 95°F each year than Lexington. Lexington drops below 20°F on 15 more days per year than Birmingham.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
61 / 100
60 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
20 routes
13 routes
7 fewer direct routes than Birmingham
Metro size
Metro size
1.2M metro
520k metro
Birmingham has 2.1x more events per month than Lexington.
the verdict
5
Birmingham
categories won
2
Lexington
categories won
Birmingham leads on money and lifestyle and wins overall.
run your numbers
How far does your Birmingham salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works