Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Lexington?

Lexington, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Lexington?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $35,000 in Lexington.

Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Lexington?

Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Lexington under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax).

Henderson vs Lexington Cost of Living 2026

Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

Lexington

Kentucky

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,070 in Lexington, KY. Overall, Lexington, KY is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $67,631 in Lexington, KY — about 24% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Henderson, NV

Lexington, KY

Rent

Studio

$1,442

$769

+47% in Henderson, NV

1 Bedroom

$1,437

$887

+38% in Henderson, NV

2 Bedroom

$1,694

$1,119

+34% in Henderson, NV

3 Bedroom

$1,982

$1,408

+29% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$465,000

$272,100

+41% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income

$88,654

$67,631

+24% in Henderson, NV

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,670

$48,620

+4% in Lexington, KY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

42.5 yr

35.2 yr

+7.3 yr in Henderson, NV

Homeownership

65.6%

53.6%

+12.0 pp in Henderson, NV

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.8%

47.3%

+10.5 pp in Lexington, KY

Avg Commute

24.7 min

20.8 min

+3.9 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

271.8

269.1

+1% in Henderson, NV

Property Crime

1,725.7

2,304.4

+34% in Lexington, KY

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

69.4°F

55.6°F

+13.8°F in Henderson, NV

Annual Precipitation

4.2 in

45.2 in

+41.0 in in Lexington, KY

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.09/gal

$3.94/gal

+23% in Henderson, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

15.0

+10% in Lexington, KY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.09

$29.48

+144% in Lexington, KY

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Henderson, NV

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Henderson, NV

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Lexington, KY

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Henderson, NV

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Henderson, NV

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Henderson, NV

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / KY)

6.85%

+0.8 pp in NV

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.50%

+3.5 pp in KY

Henderson vs Lexington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Lexington?: Lexington, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Lexington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $35,000 in Lexington.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Lexington?: Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Lexington under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).