Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Lexington grades A− overall, ranked 16th of 167 in South Carolina, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is healthier than 84% of U.S. towns and its schools rank ahead of 79% of South Carolina towns. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $87K. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: the typical home is worth about $305K, 4.5 years of the Columbia metro’s $68K median household income. Only 7 of South Carolina’s 107 towns score higher on safety. Its National Register listings include Ernest L. Hazelius House and Fox House. Lexington is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 70% of U.S. towns.
Where Lexington beats most towns.
Census counts: 262 in 1880, 23,568 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1902 and 3 maps from 1944 on.
15 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within South Carolina), ordered by how far Lexington is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lexington, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Lexington.
Lexington fares better on crime within South Carolina than nationally, has less food insecurity than most of South Carolina and has added a third more jobs in ten years.
8.8 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. Lexington’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in South Carolina’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Gibson Road Park, at 40 acres.
| Lexington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.9% | 1.7% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gibson Road Park | 0.5 mi | 40 |
| 2. Lexington County Museum | 0.5 mi | 5 |
| 3. Gibson Pond Park | — | 26 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Lexington 01 school district. Three of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is River Bluff High, with 2,117 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 893 | B+ |
| River Bluff HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 2,117 | A |
| Meadow Glen ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 775 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SC on state tests and graduation
Its widest gap with South Carolina is food insecurity: 11.3% of its 17,606 adults worry about having enough food, against 17.4% statewide.
28% of Lexington adults feel lonely, where South Carolina’s towns sit at 33% and U.S. towns at 33%. 12% of Lexington adults report frequent physical distress. Lexington beats the South Carolina average on 18 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
| Lexington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 33% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 15% | 12% |
| What stands out | Lexington | SC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.3% | 17.4% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.2% | 13.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Lexington has mild winters and hot summers. The July high in Lexington is 93°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
At 13.5 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 94% of South Carolina’s graded towns. Reported crimes rose from 27 to 344 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Lexington’s violent crime rate is 1.7 per 1,000 residents.
| Lexington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.7 per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.6 per 1,000 residents | 21.7 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Jobs based here grew from 12,042 in 2013 to 17,165.
Most working residents leave Lexington for work: only 12% work in town. 7.4% of residents live below the poverty line in Lexington. Since 2013, Lexington has added 5,123 jobs, to 17,165 in 2023.
| Lexington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 14% | 8.6% | 11% |
| Median household income | $87,000 | $57,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 6.1% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1986, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lexington.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The typical Lexington home is worth about $305,000, up 1.3% in a year, close to the South Carolina typical home.
| Lexington | South Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,545 a month | $1,058 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 65% | 73% |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lexington. Close and well known come first.
12 mi Stadium & arenaWilliams-Brice Stadium
8 mi LakeLake Murray
23 mi National ParkCongaree National Park288K visitors a year15 mi LakeAlcohol and Drug Abuse Lake
11 mi Stadium & arenaColonial Life Arena
9 mi Zoo & aquariumRiverbanks ZooWilliams-Brice Stadium: SRA MARVIN PRESTON, Public domain · Lake Murray: Greygh0st at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Congaree National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Colonial Life Arena: Dfscgt21, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Riverbanks Zoo: Carlo Giovannetti (Thief12), CC BY-SA 3.0
6 within 15 miles of the center of Lexington
About 4 of every 100 Lexington residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across South Carolina.
17,870 counted in 2010 and 23,568 in 2020; an estimated 25,729 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 8.9% since 2020, after 31.9% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
15 places in Lexington on the National Register of Historic Places.
8 notable people were born in Lexington.
Town in South Carolina, US
Lexington is the most populous town in and the county seat of Lexington County, South Carolina, United States. It is a suburb of the state capital, Columbia. The population was 23,568 at the 2020 Census, and it is the second-most populous municipality in the greater Columbia area. The 2022 estimated population is 24,626. According to the Central Midlands Council of Governments, the greater Lexington area had an estimated population of 111,549 in 2020 and is considered the fastest-growing area in the Midlands.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Lexington.
| Town | SC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | #16 | A− | C | B | A− | A− |
| Red Bank | #56 | B− | B+ | — | A− | C |
| West Columbia | #131 | D | B− | D− | C | B− |
Red Bank reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Lexington with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Lexington grades A− overall, better than 81% of U.S. towns and #16 of 167 in South Carolina. It grades A− for health, B for safety and A− for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
8 notable people were born here, including Wrenn Schmidt and Caitlin Upton.
