Fayette County is where the city of Lexington is located and it’s the second most populous county in Kentucky. It’s in the state’s central region and is the home of an estimated 314,488 people as of 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 1974 the city of Lexington and Fayette County merged, creating Kentucky’s first urban county government.
Lexington appears on many rankings as one of the top cities in the country.
- Lexington – Fayette County recently ranked as the fifth best run city in the U.S. by Wallet Hub.
- In 2015 it was chosen by Wallet Hub as the eighth best large city to live in.
- Forbes magazine stated the city was the 16th best place in the U.S. for business and careers in 2015.
- Time magazine ranked Lexington in the top five best places to retire in 2014.
- It was ranked the seventh most affordable city in the country by Kiplinger magazine in 2014.
The county is greatly impacted by the area’s institutions of higher education. It has the University of Kentucky along with ten other colleges and universities within forty miles of the city. They have more than 70,000 students, and more than 15,000 students graduate annually. For cities with more than 300,000 people, the Census Bureau ranks Lexington as the 13th most highly educated in the country. An estimated 17% of the city’s population has an advanced degree.
The risk of being a victim of crime in Lexington is less than or about the same as in the rest of the country. Neighborhood Scout estimates that the total risk of being a crime victim is about the same as it is nationwide, but lower than Kentucky as a whole. Compared to the rest of the country:
- Lexingtonians are at a higher risk of being murdered, robbed and suffering larceny, but
- At a lower risk of being raped or having their vehicle stolen.
The risk of burglary and assault are slightly less than the national average.
Kentucky was listed as the sixth safest state in the country last year as far as crime is concerned, thanks in part to Lexington’s low crime rate, according to Wall Street 24/7. The violent crime rate in three of the state’s larger cities (Lexington, Bowling Green, and Owensboro) is well below the national average for violent crime.
Only three states have an aggravated assault rate below 100 incidences per 100,000 people, and Kentucky is one of them. Assaults are fairly uncommon, and that contributes to a violent crime rate of only 212 reported incidents per 100,000 residents, one of the lowest in the country.
Generally, violent crime tends be more frequent where there are high poverty rates, but Kentucky is an exception. Nearly 20% of the state’s population lives below the poverty line, one of the highest poverty rates in the country. Violent crimes generally decline as a population’s educational attainment improves, but Kentucky’s an exception to this as well.
If you live in Fayette County, Kentucky, and need help with defending yourself or a family member against a criminal charge or investigation, call Dan Carman today at (859) 685-1055 or fill out this online form so we can discuss the situation and your best options to protect your liberty, your future and your family’s future.