The Town FilesLexington, Virginia
City in Lexington city · population 7,320 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $275,200
- Household income
- $84,517
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 22.6
Lexington is a city of 7,320 people in Lexington city, Virginia. The median home is worth $275,200, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). It ranks hipper than 100% of Virginia towns, more walkable than 99% of Virginia towns, more of a college town than 99% of Virginia towns.
How Lexington ranks
Percentile among Virginia towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Virginia towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lexington is worth $275,200, below the typical Virginia town ($298,050). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $84,517, which is more affordable than 71% of Virginia towns. Median rent is $1,081 a month. 53.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lexington | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $275,200 | $298,050 |
| Median rent | $1,081 | $1,254 |
| Median household income | $84,517 | $78,595 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 53.8% | 69.2% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.0% | — |
Who lives in Lexington
| People | Lexington | Typical Virginia town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.6 | 39.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 17.3% |
| Under 18 | 7.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.7% | 31.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.5% | 12.8% |
| Average commute | 12.7 min | 26.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.4% | 91.8% |
Weather in Lexington
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 42.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.5 inches of snow (typical Virginia town: 13.4 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 119 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Lexington since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Virginia town. The strongest, an F0, struck on June 5, 1975 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 1975.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 16, 2011.
Severe weather in Lexington city since 1996
Lexington city has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 23, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3631: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 2, 2020 | Biological | DR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3448: Covid-19 |
| September 11, 2018 | Hurricane | EM-3403: Hurricane Florence |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3359: Hurricane Sandy |
Jobs and pay in Lexington city
Lexington city had 5,378 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,009 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Lexington itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Public schools in Lexington
5 public schools with 2,395 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockbridge County High | 9-12 | 968 | 12.1 |
| Central Elementary | PK-5 | 460 | 13.1 |
| Maury River Middle | 6-8 | 459 | 10.4 |
| Harrington Waddell Elementary | PK-5 | 328 | 13.7 |
| Lylburn Downing Middle | 6-8 | 180 | 12.9 |
Towns near Lexington
- Buena Vista, VA6.0 mi · 6,641 people · home $156,200
- Clifton Forge, VA21.0 mi · 3,555 people · home $109,500
- Stuarts Draft, VA27.7 mi · 12,142 people · home $294,300
- Madison Heights, VA29.4 mi · 10,893 people · home $191,300
- Covington, VA29.5 mi · 5,737 people · home $83,500
- Forest, VA29.6 mi · 11,709 people · home $319,800
- Lynchburg, VA29.8 mi · 79,009 people · home $229,800
Lexington questions
Is Lexington, Virginia a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lexington scores better for retirees than 63% of Virginia towns and quieter than 14%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.6).
How much does a house cost in Lexington?
The median owner-occupied home in Lexington is valued at $275,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,517, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,081 a month.
What is the weather like in Lexington?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.9 inches of precipitation a year and 13.5 inches of snow.
Does Lexington get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Lexington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on June 5, 1975. The typical Virginia town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)