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I wanted to ask a few questions about Lexington, as I am considering a job transfer.
1...Are available apartments hard to come by because of the University of Kentucky being there? Do the students take them all, or are there more than enough to go around?
2...Is Lexington a tough city to learn the streets? It looks like the main roads are simple, with the Circle Road and the main roads spurring out from the city center. But it also looks like there is no sense of direction to the smaller streets. It just looks like there is a maze of small little streets in between the main arteries. It seems like it would take a long time to get them memorized.
3...What is the city terrain like? I would be living on the south side, but definitely inside the Man-O-War Blvd toward the city. What is that part of Lexington like. Is it hilly or flat? Are there lots of businesses or is it pure suburbia? Is it the type of place where you could take a walk down the sidewalk to the store in the evening, or aren't there any sidewalks?
4...Everyone says that Lexington is a "highly educated city". I know that is quite normal of a city with a big university. But am I going to feel out of place because I don't have a degree? I have my job, and make more than enough. Lexington is not that expensive, and I know I can afford it. But is Lexington full of "know it alls" and people who think they're better than everyone else? I have dealt with this before.
5...If you had to guess, what percentage of people in Lexington are Kentucky natives and what percentage are tranplants?
Any insight to these questions would be greatly appreciated.
1-plenty of apartments. Especially away from the university. Plus the ones away from the university are generally nicer and better maintained.
2-not really. It's laid out like a wagon wheel, all the main roads are the spokes and lead to (or from) downtown.
3-Lexington doesn't really have a lot of hills. Depends on the exact area. Some will have businesses some will be more suburban feeling. Most areas will be walkable.
4-I believe that something like 38% of the population has a college degree. However, I would not say it is the first thing anyone references so you shouldn't have any issues. Like anywhere there are those people that think they're better but you won't run into them everywhere.
5-I can't even guess. I'm a native Lexingtonian and I know plenty but I know just as many people that are from elsewhere. (Sorry I just can't put a % guess on it)
1-plenty of apartments. Especially away from the university. Plus the ones away from the university are generally nicer and better maintained.
2-not really. It's laid out like a wagon wheel, all the main roads are the spokes and lead to (or from) downtown.
3-Lexington doesn't really have a lot of hills. Depends on the exact area. Some will have businesses some will be more suburban feeling. Most areas will be walkable.
4-I believe that something like 38% of the population has a college degree. However, I would not say it is the first thing anyone references so you shouldn't have any issues. Like anywhere there are those people that think they're better but you won't run into them everywhere.
5-I can't even guess. I'm a native Lexingtonian and I know plenty but I know just as many people that are from elsewhere. (Sorry I just can't put a % guess on it)
Thanks for your answers.
I just checked the city-data stats about percent with degrees. It was not as bad (high) as I was expecting. You were just about right with 38%, they stated 36%. And they had 15% with gradute degrees. But some places are even higher, especially cities that are solely college towns. Take Bloomington, IN. They have 55% with degrees and 30% with graduate degrees.
Lexington sounds like a good place. I guess I will just be part of the 64% without a degree.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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1. A high percentage of apartments on the South Side and inside New Circle are occupied by at least some UK students. UK has 27,000 students and only 30% live on campus. Compared to large cities apartments are still very affordable in Lexington.
2. The worst thing about driving in Lexington is that most major streets change names a lot - not just when the cross downtown. US 27 is Nicholasville Road from Jessamine County to Waller Ave, it is South Limestone from Waller to Scott Street, it then slits into a pair of one way streets, the southbound one is called Upper Street. The main E-W connector road around UK is Mason Headley Road, Waller Ave, & Cooper Drive
3. The natural terrain (that annoying stuff that is under all the pavement ) is gentle rolling hills - IMO its neither really flat of really hilly, it's right in the middle. The urban terrain of Lexington is basically "high density sprawl" - it is very car centric with little public transit, however space is used very efficiently. Major neighborhood streets connect to other areas, housing lots are much smaller than most cities, there are sidewalks and street lights everywhere. For a city of its size that are alot of high rise office buildings and apartments
4. I would say that a lot of the newer areas on the South Side do have the "country club" mentality towards middle and lower income people. Not that everyone is like that but defiantly some are.
5. Lexington's population has Tripled since 1950, so obviously most people under age 60 are transplants. I'd say 70% of transplants are from Eastern KY and 30% are from Ohio or other states
Any insight to these questions would be greatly appreciated.
I think you mean to say, "larger than in most cities" - the lots in Lex are huge! At least, they are inside New Circle.
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4. I would say that a lot of the newer areas on the South Side do have the "country club" mentality towards middle and lower income people. Not that everyone is like that but definitely some are.
oh my gosh yes, and it is so pretentious and annoying... so condescending... that is one of the worst parts of Lexington imho, is that outside-man-o-war attitude. It's a mystery where it even comes from.
1. Like everyone else said there are more than enough nice apartments. I will be honest...I don't know too much about renting closer to town. Lived in several different places close to UK when I went to college, but nothing stands out to me. If you change your mind, I think a good place for young professionals might be Rabbit Run, Grand Reserve, Park Place. I would also look at the new "hip" condos downtown. A lot of them are renting now.
2. It's hard for me to say if it's difficult to navigate because I have lived here most of my life. Good news is that you have seemed to figure out that New Circle is really a circle. One end of Man O War takes you to the airport, the other end takes you to the interstate and Hamburg. Maybe you could get a GPS until you were sure.
3. I would say Lexington is flat. Most areas you can walk around with sidewalks. Of course I like the nice sprawling neighborhoods. But I would say that the south side toward town is nice. Lots of older homes towards clays mill and Harrodsburg Road headed toward UK and downtown.
4. Heck no you are not going to feel out of place if you don't have a degree....but of course Lexington has a wide variety of "know it alls" but every place I have lived has too
5. I would say that I have no idea how many transplants live here. A lot of people come from smaller surrounding towns, but only 20 minutes away like Nicholasville or Georgtown. I wouldn't really call them transplants. I know that most all of my close friends from High School still live here.
I'd say lots are extremely small in many areas and larger in some areas. In the inner city you can reach out the window and shake your neighbors hand from his window. Some areas there are larger lots but to say in general "they are huge" is misleading.
As in any area you will find those who think they are better then others but that has nothing to do with education. Having a degree does NOT make one any smarter then one without a degree! You learn facts and figures but a diploma is not relative to intelligence. Likewise there are nice people and rude people with and without degrees. I have never been in a situation in Lexington where I felt "less" then those around me.
is Lexington full of "know it alls" and people who think they're better than everyone else?
YES!!!
But don't let that stop you. Life is an adventure. Take the job! You will enjoy living here.
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) is gentle rolling hills - IMO its neither really flat of really hilly, it's right in the middle. The urban terrain of Lexington is basically "high density sprawl" - it is very car centric with little public transit, however space is used very efficiently. Major neighborhood streets connect to other areas, housing lots are much smaller than most cities, there are sidewalks and street lights everywhere. For a city of its size that are alot of high rise office buildings and apartments
