City · Henderson County, Tennessee

Lexington, Tennessee

Lexington is a city in Henderson County, Tennessee. It has 7,962 residents. Lexington, Tennessee has a quality-of-life score of 12 out of 100 (very low), ranking #13,813 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Tennessee it ranks #252 of 305 cities and towns. It ranks best on preventable hospital stays (low), job growth (high) and child care cost burden (low). It ranks worst on arts, entertainment and recreation (low), depression (high) and access to exercise opportunities (low).

12Very low

Quality-of-life score: #13,813 of 15,651 cities and towns
Tennessee: #252 of 305 in TN
Population: 7,962 (2020-2024)
Land area: 12 mi²
Density: 674.2 /mi²
FIPS code: 4741980

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 72 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety19#12,637/15,637
Economy14#13,498/15,631
Housing80#3,067/14,977
Health5#14,885/15,609
Healthcare8#14,423/15,650
Environment62#5,934/15,453
Education48#8,087/15,649
Infrastructure13#13,593/15,650
Community2#15,277/15,651
Leisure & amenities3#15,140/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Lexington, Tennessee ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Henderson County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Preventable hospital stays · low1,353 /100k
98/100Tennessee 2,914 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHenderson County value
Job growth · high3.4%
95/100Tennessee -0.2%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataHenderson County value
Child care cost burden · low22.5%
86/100Tennessee 22.4%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHenderson County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Tennessee 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHenderson County value
Effective property tax rate · low0.58%
82/100Tennessee 0.52%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Reading scores · high3.21
79/100Tennessee 2.99United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHenderson County value

Weaknesses

Arts, entertainment and recreation · low0.7 /10k
2/100Tennessee 5.5 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHenderson County value
Depression · high30.1%
4/100Tennessee 29.0%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Access to exercise opportunities · low35.8%
4/100Tennessee 67.9%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHenderson County value
Restaurants and bars · low3.9 /10k
5/100Tennessee 7.7 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHenderson County value
Frequent mental distress · high22.2%
5/100Tennessee 22.0%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Primary care physicians · low22 /100k
6/100Tennessee 69 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHenderson County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent-burdened householdsImproving
59.4% (2015-2019) → 37.6% (2020-2024)
−22 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
35.9% (2015-2019) → 25.5% (2020-2024)
−10 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Child poverty rateImproving
29.6% (2015-2019) → 20.1% (2020-2024)
−9.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
79.7% (2015-2019) → 88.2% (2020-2024)
+8.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeImproving
$34,567 (2015-2019) → $49,057 (2020-2024)
+42%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
7.8% (2015-2019) → 15.5% (2020-2024)
+7.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Lexington, Tennessee improved on 4 of 15 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 10 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved4

Rent burden−22 points59.4% → 37.6%
Rent / income−10 points35.9% → 25.5%
Household income+42%$34,567 → $49,057
Broadband+8.5 points79.7% → 88.2%

Declined1

Uninsured+7.7 points7.8% → 15.5%

All 15 measures

Change of every measure of Lexington, Tennessee between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.1 min2015-2019	24.0 min2020-2024	−1.1 min	Within the margin of error	61%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.1%2015-2019	16.5%2020-2024	−1.6 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Broadband subscriptions	79.7%2015-2019	88.2%2020-2024	+8.5 points	Improved	52%
Child poverty rate	29.6%2015-2019	20.1%2020-2024	−9.5 points	Within the margin of error	81%
Effective property tax rate	0.73%2015-2019	0.58%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	48%
High school diploma or higher	85.5%2015-2019	89.3%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Within the margin of error	75%
Home price to income ratio	3.3×2015-2019	3.6×2020-2024	+0.3×	Within the margin of error	64%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4772015-2019	0.4472020-2024	−0.030	Within the margin of error	74%
Median household income	$34,5672015-2019	$49,0572020-2024	+42%	Improved	76%
Poverty rate	24.8%2015-2019	18.4%2020-2024	−6.4 points	Within the margin of error	85%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	35.9%2015-2019	25.5%2020-2024	−10 points	Improved	94%
Rent-burdened households	59.4%2015-2019	37.6%2020-2024	−22 points	Improved	95%
Unemployment rate	9.8%2015-2019	8.3%2020-2024	−1.6 points	Within the margin of error	77%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	7.8%2015-2019	15.5%2020-2024	+7.7 points	Declined	5%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Lexington, Tennessee five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Lexington, Tennessee in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Lexington, Tennessee itself moved +15.2 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

7,962 residents (±17)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,973 households (±268)

Lexington, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Under $25k22%656
$25k–50k30%†892
$50k–75k16%476

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,973 households (±268)

Lexington, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Own63%1,873
Rent37%1,100

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

2,853 workers (±401)

Lexington, Tennessee
Tennessee share

Drive alone86%2,444
Carpool2.6%†73
Public transit0.0%0

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Henderson County, the county holding most of Lexington's residents.

Henderson County has 508 employer establishments, 181 for every 10,000 residents (0.73× the US rate of 248; 0.86× Tennessee's), with 6,459 paid employees at an average annual pay of $39,594. The Census Bureau also counts 2,095 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 508; 2,095 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 181; US 248 · Tennessee 210
Paid employees: 6,459
Average annual pay: $39,594; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Henderson County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	44	15.7	0.75×Fewer than typical	340	$54,088	37
Restaurants and other eating places	35	12.5	0.68×Fewer than typical	738	$15,789	8
Specialty trade contractors	35	12.5	0.81×About typical	170	$52,688	220
Gasoline stations	21	7.5	2.31×More than typical	169	$23,237	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	19	6.8	1.34×More than typical	82	$40,122	66
Banks and credit unions	19	6.8	2.09×More than typical	291	$52,354	—
Religious organizations	19	6.8	1.22×About typical	122	$15,770	—
Building equipment contractors	18	6.4	1.07×About typical	71	$51,746	50
Limited-service restaurants	17	6.1	0.75×Fewer than typical	515	$16,019	—
Truck transportation	16	5.7	1.13×About typical	188	$46,856	78
Offices of other health practitioners	14	5	0.82×About typical	49	$51,449	23
Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors	14	5	1.51×More than typical	51	$45,216	26

Rank places for an industry Open Henderson County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 28,083 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $29.3K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Lexington, Tennessee: $3.68 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $29.3K; +98% vs FY2025
Per resident: $3.68; US $1,994
Sole-source: 99.8%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Federal Emergency Management Agency$29.3K100%

Top recipients

AMBASSADOR WORLDWIDE PROTECTION AGENCY, INC.$29.2K99.8%
JOHNSON CONTROLS SECURITY SOLUTIONS LLC$48.150.2%

Spending by fiscal year

669.3FY2017
36.7KFY2018
81.8FY2019
10.6KFY2020
30.1KFY2021
-1.4KFY2022
30.9KFY2023
16.4KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Investigation and security services · 5616$29.3K100%

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Lexington, Tennessee, so they do not add up across cities.

Lexington, Tennessee's figures are part of those of Henderson County, TN ($517.6K in FY2026), never added to them: 5.7% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Lexington is mostly in Henderson County.

See federal money in Henderson County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Lexington, Tennessee is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

David KustoffR-TN-8 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 0.7%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Henderson County16100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Henderson County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/4741980

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends