Studio Rent · July 2026

Studio Apartment Rent in Lexington, KY

$864/mo

Median asking rent for a studio apartment in Lexington, Kentucky as of July 2026. That's +44% lower than the citywide median of $1,551 and +33% below the national studio median of $1,290.

Studio median
$864
July 2026
vs city overall
-44%
$1,551 city median
vs national
-33%
$1,290 US median
Kentucky rank
#20
of 38 cities

Income needed for a studio in Lexington

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline (the threshold above which households are considered rent-burdened), here's what you need to earn to comfortably afford a studio at the current median rent.

Annual income
$34,560
Monthly gross
$2,880
Hourly (full-time)
$16.62

Rent by apartment size in Lexington

Compare Lexington's median rent across every apartment size.

Studio (current)
$864
1-Bedroom
$1,061
2-Bedroom
$1,261
3-Bedroom
$1,713
4+ Bedroom
$1,929

Cheapest cities for a studio in Kentucky

#CityStudio rent
1Morehead$630
2Corbin$640
3Bardstown$660
4Russellville$660
5Paducah$720
6Nicholasville$730
7Paris$730
8Versailles$730
9Winchester$730
10Richmond$740
11Murray$770
12Georgetown$780
13Lawrenceburg$780
14Southgate$799
15Hopkinsville$800

Most expensive cities for a studio in Kentucky

#CityStudio rent
1Prospect$1,510
2Hebron$1,150
3Burlington$1,080
4Louisville$1,061
5Vine Grove$1,060
6Independence$1,030
7Florence$980
8Shelbyville$940
9Shepherdsville$930
10Elizabethtown$910
11Cold Spring$910
12Oak Grove$890
13Fort Thomas$890
14Erlanger$890
15Bowling Green$890

Nearby cities — studio rent

Considering nearby alternatives? 5 of these cities have cheaper studio rents than Lexington.

CityDistanceStudio rentvs Lexington
Nicholasville, KY11.3 mi$730$-134 (-16%)
Georgetown, KY15.9 mi$780$-84 (-10%)
Versailles, KY17 mi$730$-134 (-16%)
Richmond, KY21.9 mi$740$-124 (-14%)
Paris, KY22.4 mi$730$-134 (-16%)
Winchester, KY24.3 mi$730$-134 (-16%)
Frankfort, KY29.8 mi$880+$16 (+2%)
Lawrenceburg, KY33.6 mi$780$-84 (-10%)
Shelbyville, KY51.1 mi$940+$76 (+9%)
Alexandria, KY62.1 mi$880+$16 (+2%)
Independence, KY63.1 mi$1,030+$166 (+19%)
Cold Spring, KY68.4 mi$910+$46 (+5%)

Studio rent in Lexington — common questions

How much is a studio apartment in Lexington?

As of July 2026, the median studio apartment rent in Lexington, Kentucky is $864 per month. This is +44% below the citywide median of $1,551.

What income do you need to afford a studio in Lexington?

Using the standard 30% rent-to-income rule, you would need an annual income of about $34,560 ($2,880/month gross), which works out to roughly $16.62/hour at a full-time job.

Is Lexington expensive for a studio compared to the rest of the US?

Lexington's studio median of $864 is +33% below the national studio median of $1,290. It ranks in the 15th percentile of US cities tracked.

How does Lexington rank for studio rent in Kentucky?

Among the 38 cities in Kentucky with studio data, Lexington ranks #20 from cheapest to most expensive.

Are there cheaper studio options near Lexington?

Yes — nearby cities with cheaper studio rents include Nicholasville ($730), Georgetown ($780), Versailles ($730).

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Methodology: Bedroom-level rent medians come from HUD Fair Market Rent data calibrated to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for Lexington, which serves as the citywide anchor. When the HUD bedroom values exceed the ZORI city median (a common quirk in luxury markets and small samples), bedroom values are proportionally scaled down to align. Income required uses the standard 30% rent-to-income guideline. Comparison rankings use the same data month across all cities (July 2026) and exclude cities with median rent below $400 or above $20,000.