Real Estate Investing in Lexington, Kentucky (40516)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Fayette County • Population: 2,809 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 40516 (Lexington, KY)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (80/100)

Solid choice — stable market with a reasonable entry point and good rental backup if you ever need to move.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A cash-flow market — rent-to-price math works from day one, though value growth is modest. Great for income-focused investors.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Lexington, KY (40516)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $345,284
Avg Monthly Rent $1,875
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $84,836
% Renters 14.7%

Market Analysis: 40516 Lexington

From an investor standpoint, ZIP 40516 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $345K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

Distressed markets are won on execution, not on spreadsheets. ZIP 40516 reflects the profile where tenant screening, deferred maintenance, and local relationships determine the outcome.

Statewide comparisons place 40516 among KY's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

Resident income in 40516 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 40516 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Lexington:

C+ Average
Buy Confidence Score: 65/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
18/25
Stability
7/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.1× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.3%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,875/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
46 days
Average time to sell
Average
11.8%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Lexington-Fayette, KY metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 40516

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
4.9% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+10.6% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$94,620/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $189,240 $1,300 4.9% +10.6% $94,620
3BR $286,271 $1,780 4.5% +9.7% $95,424
4BR $440,586 $1,980 3.2% +7.4% $110,147

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$360K$320K$279K$239K$198K$158KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

No data available

📊 How Does 40516 Compare?

Metric 40516 Lexington Lexington-Fayette, KY Kentucky
Home Value $345,284 $342,797 N/A $225,788
5-Year CAGR 4.9% 6.9% N/A 6.9%
Avg Rent $1,875 $1,627 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.2% 3.5% - -
💡 Why Invest in 40516? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 40516 (Lexington, KY). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.2%
Fair
5yr Growth
+4.9%
Moderate

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $345,284
Monthly Rent $1,875
Price-to-Rent 15.4:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.5%
Cap Rate 4.2%
5-Year IRR 9.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.3% ▲
3-Year CAGR +2.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +4.9% ▲
10-Year CAGR +5.6% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.2%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.2%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
2.7%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
5.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+4.9%
Stable
Eviction process: Fast Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 40516

Population: 2,809

💰 Median Household Income
$84,836
This area
$84,836
State
$55,541
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
14.7%
This area
14.7%
State
23.6%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
0.9%
This area
0.9%
State
-16.4%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
38.8%
This area
38.8%
State
-4.1%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
41.4 years
This area
41.4 years
State
4.8 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
2.7%
This area
2.7%
State
16.9%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 79.0%
Black/African American 12.3%
Other/Mixed 8.3%
Hispanic/Latino 1.7%
Asian 0.4%
👶 Under 18
28.6%
This area
28.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.0%
This area
17.0%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
11.7%
This area
11.7%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

8 Nearby 8,337 Off-Campus Students
D
Summit Salon Academy-Lexington
123 students · 5.7 mi
C+
Transylvania University
1,022 students · 7.0 mi
B
University of Kentucky
32,703 students · 7.9 mi
C
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
11,619 students · 8.2 mi
C
Employment Solutions-College for Technical Education
200 students · 9.0 mi
D
Lexington Healing Arts Academy
89 students · 9.5 mi
D
Lexington Theological Seminary
93 students · 10.2 mi
C
Paul Mitchell the School-Lexington
204 students · 11.8 mi

Investor Insight: With 8,337 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do tenants pay in Lexington, KY?

Rent in Lexington, KY is around $1,875/mo. The resulting rent-to-value relationship with $345K pricing is reasonable for most investor models.

Which investment style suits Lexington, KY?

Investors usually favor careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management in Lexington, KY. With home values at $345K and rents near $1,875/mo, other strategies can work but produce reliable rather than outsized returns.

How high is vacancy risk in Lexington, KY?

Lexington, KY carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect even-keeled absorption at market rents of $1,875/mo.

How do landlord-tenant laws work in Lexington, KY?

KY law landlord-friendly for landlords, and Lexington inherits those rules. Investors should still review local ordinances for rental licensing.

What is the typical home price in Lexington, KY?

In Lexington, KY the median home value sits at $345K. Against the broader KY market, that reads as reasonable for most investors.

You know 40516 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 40516 ranks in Lexington-Fayette, KY

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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