Jobs, pay and daily life in Lexington, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lexington is a city in Tennessee with 7,962 residents. The median household earns $49,057 a year and the median rent is $720 a month, which is 17.6% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Jackson, TN (84,530 jobs), about 26 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Lexington compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Lexington is #80 by population, #2 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #70 for college degrees (#1 = most), #68 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Henderson County, is #68 of 95 counties for average pay ($47,219).
Lexington has 7,962 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 12 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 677 people per square mile. The median age is 36.9, 5% younger than the state median (36.9 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $720 a month (rent plus utilities), 39% below the state median ($720 against $1,189). Over a year that is 17.6% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $176,000, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($49,057); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 63.0% of households own their home, 6% below the state average (63.0% against 66.9%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Jackson, TN, metropolitan area has 84,530 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,790 a year, 12% below the national median ($44,790 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (11,040 jobs, median $45,250); office and administrative support (9,920 jobs, median $42,750); transportation and material moving (9,240 jobs, median $39,550). The area is most specialised in production (2.4 times) and transportation and material moving (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($65,370) and production ($45,250). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Henderson County was 3.6%. 50.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Henderson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 85.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.4% walk, 10.6% work from home. 15.4% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, about the same as the state average (15.4% against 15.2%).
16.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 47% below the state share (16.5% against 31.1%). 0.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 89% below the state share (0.7% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 18.4%, 34% above the state rate (18.4% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 81°F (27.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 38°F (3.1°C). About 1,414 mm (56 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (139 mm) and Sep the driest (98 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Jackson (26 miles, rent 59% higher); Milan (28 miles, rent 12% higher); Paris (45 miles, rent 8% higher); Corinth (49 miles, rent 17% lower). Rent differences are against Lexington; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideHenderson CountyTennessee rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Tennessee (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Tennessee →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,410 | 1.50 | $36,710 | $29,780 | $46,560 | -9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,390 | 1.13 | $30,990 | $22,660 | $47,150 | -12% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,370 | 1.13 | $26,360 | $21,520 | $33,220 | -16% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,280 | 0.97 | $31,120 | $28,030 | $36,170 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,930 | 1.05 | $75,610 | $57,840 | $91,680 | -22% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,890 | 2.48 | $40,340 | $33,710 | $48,500 | -10% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,870 | 1.67 | $55,160 | $37,530 | $76,110 | -6% |
| Cashiers | 1,780 | 1.06 | $27,690 | $19,940 | $33,440 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,470 | 0.95 | $34,410 | $29,070 | $46,470 | -8% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,220 | 0.64 | $98,040 | $48,490 | $210,440 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,170 | 0.87 | $37,750 | $23,970 | $55,280 | -16% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,080 | 1.38 | $36,900 | $29,800 | $39,880 | -13% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,080 | 2.07 | $38,100 | $29,790 | $55,430 | -17% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,040 | 1.25 | $48,080 | $32,220 | $65,140 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,040 | 1.33 | $61,270 | $40,550 | $98,230 | -12% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 970 | 0.69 | $38,680 | $29,790 | $55,950 | -14% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 930 | 0.76 | $20,490 | $15,080 | $45,530 | -42% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 890 | 1.18 | $51,470 | $42,850 | $63,530 | -20% |
| Production Workers, All Other | 870 | 6.33 | $45,500 | $32,030 | $60,000 | +13% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 850 | 1.10 | $29,190 | $22,680 | $39,320 | -21% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Jackson, TN, about 26 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,790 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.4% |
| Retail trade | 18.5% |
| Manufacturing | 14.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 11.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.5% |
| Construction | 4.2% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Information | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lexington lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson County | 27,980 | $1,064 million | $38,018 | 8,429 | 614 | $47,219 | +5.4% | 3.6% | 11,735 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,649 | 27.0% | $58,997 | 2.38 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,166 | 19.1% | $45,377 | 0.97 |
| Retail trade | 1,164 | 19.0% | $31,566 | 1.38 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 919 | 15.0% | $49,931 | 2.57 |
| Finance and insurance | 351 | 5.7% | $60,248 | 1.03 |
| Construction | 315 | 5.1% | $58,910 | 0.71 |
| Wholesale trade | 194 | 3.2% | $95,281 | 0.58 |
| Administrative and waste services | 163 | 2.7% | $39,194 | 0.33 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 120 | 2.0% | $40,961 | 0.47 |
| Real estate and rental | 40 | 0.7% | $35,475 | 0.31 |
| Information | 21 | 0.3% | $47,384 | 0.13 |
| Educational services | 16 | 0.3% | $25,940 | 0.09 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 85.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.4% |
| Work from home | 10.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 15.4% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,057 |
| Income per person | $25,810 |
| Median gross rent per month | $720 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.6% |
| Median home value | $176,000 |
| Homeowners | 63.0% |
| Poverty rate | 18.4% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 85.5 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $44,790 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 16.5% |
| Born abroad | 0.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 50.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.1 | 38 | 104 |
| Feb | 5.0 | 41 | 133 |
| Mar | 10.2 | 50 | 131 |
| Apr | 15.6 | 60 | 135 |
| May | 20.4 | 69 | 139 |
| Jun | 24.9 | 77 | 105 |
| Jul | 27.0 | 81 | 116 |
| Aug | 26.8 | 80 | 102 |
| Sep | 22.9 | 73 | 98 |
| Oct | 16.3 | 61 | 110 |
| Nov | 9.6 | 49 | 105 |
| Dec | 5.1 | 41 | 136 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | TN | 26 mi | 68,435 | $53,032 | $1,145 |
| Milan | TN | 28 mi | 8,244 | $43,886 | $805 |
| Paris | TN | 45 mi | 10,338 | $41,012 | $780 |
| Corinth | MS | 49 mi | 14,323 | $44,226 | $601 |
| Brownsville | TN | 50 mi | 9,622 | $43,494 | $767 |
| Martin | TN | 55 mi | 10,915 | $43,381 | $859 |
| Dyersburg | TN | 63 mi | 15,979 | $52,064 | $782 |
| Dickson | TN | 63 mi | 16,424 | $69,678 | $1,063 |
| Lawrenceburg | TN | 65 mi | 11,844 | $42,343 | $775 |
| Union City | TN | 66 mi | 10,982 | $50,870 | $739 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,962 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$720 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.6% of the median household income.
$49,057 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Henderson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.