Barracks, Virginia Military Institute · National Register of Historic Places
Lexington’s story
249 years in pictures
21 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1777Lexington is settled
LexingtonVA
A town of 7,525, settled in 1777. Home to 21 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Population
7,525
+3.9% since 2010
Typical home
$366K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
22.6
years
Jobs based here
5,537
A job hub
What makes Lexington stand out
The 3 things Lexington does most differently from other towns.
Barracks, Virginia Military InstituteHistory
Settled in 1777
21 places on the National Register
Archive photos and papers going back 249 years.
5,537jobs here
Work
5,537 jobs
based in Lexington, a regional job hub
44% of working residents work in town.
Outdoors
#44 most walkable in VA
3.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves
8% of the town is conserved land.
College town
46% of Lexington is in college
2 colleges in town.
Washington and Lee University2,277 students on campus
- Admission
- 14%
- Net price
- $23,781
- Graduate
- 94%
- Admission
- 71%
- Net price
- $17,113
- Graduate
- 76%
College Scorecard · IPEDS
Lexington’s report card
Commute5 miHalf of commuters travel lessOutdoors3 mi#67 for trails in VASchoolsA+Beats 99% of VA districtsHousing$366K12% below the VA typical homeHealthA−Healthier than 84% of U.S. townsSafetyA−Less crime than 79% of U.S. townsClimate87°/26°Summer high · winter low · 14″ snowHazards39/100Low risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Lexington
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Lexington? Is an A+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Lexington’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →55°
Fog/Mist
H 84° · L 55°
Local news
All →- Rockbridge Co. vs Staunton - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/28/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 28
- Pierce named to VMI Basketball coaching staff - Virginia Military Institutevmikeydets.com · Sep 28
- Middle School Football Rockbridge County High School - 09/17/2026 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 17
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Lexington. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in two working residents works right in Lexington
44% of Lexington’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Roanoke (3%), Buena Vista (3%) and East Lexington (2%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
44%work in town
Where working residents work
In Lexington44%
Roanoke3%
Buena Vista3%
East Lexington2%
Lynchburg2%
5 mi
median commute distance
5,537
jobs based in Lexington
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
8% of Lexington is conserved land
3.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves.
#67for trails in VA
8%
conserved · 128 of 1,608 acres
3.3 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
#80
most conserved land in VA
#44
most walkable in VA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Woods Creek Park | 0.5 mi | 10 |
| 2. Jordan's Point | 0.3 mi | 10 |
| 3. M. Leroy Richardson Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Schools
Lexington’s public schools outperform 99% of Virginia districts
The public schools Lexington’s kids attend outperform 99% of Virginia’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Elementary | PK–5 | 466 | C |
| Harrington Waddell Elementary | PK–5 | 350 | A |
| Woods Creek Montessori Private | PK–K | 47 | |
| Earthsong Community School Private | PK–3 | 36 | |
| Maury River Middle | 6–8 | 481 | C |
| Lylburn Downing Middle | 6–8 | 187 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within VA on state testsAll 6 schools →
Housing
A typical Lexington home is worth about $366K
The typical Lexington home is worth about $366,000, up 3.9% in a year, 12% below the Virginia typical home.
$366KZillow home value
Typical home value
Lexington$366K
Virginia$415K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 84% of U.S. towns
Lexington beats the Virginia average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
A−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Virginia
13 better14 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Lexington | VA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 7.6% | 12.5% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.3% | 3.3% |
| More binge drinkers | 18.4% | 14.5% |
Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital
0.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
71st
percentile among VA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 79% of U.S. towns
Lexington reports less crime per resident than 79% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
A−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Lexington0.6
Virginia2.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Lexington4.5
Virginia13.9
U.S.15.5
79th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
92nd
percentile among VA towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
36
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Lexington has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
14″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–47°
Spring43–67°
Summer62–85°
Fall45–68°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 39% of U.S. communities.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesLightning
29
paid flood claims since 1982
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A job hub
Every workday, about 4,570 people come to Lexington for work
Where Lexington’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5,537jobs based in Lexington
44%of working residents work in town
5 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
21 places in Lexington on the National Register of Historic Places.
Barracks, Virginia Military InstituteBuilt 1848 · National Historic Landmark
Lee Chapel, Washington and Lee UniversityBuilt 1868 · National Historic Landmark
Washington and Lee University Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark
Virginia Military Institute Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark
About Lexington
Independent city in Virginia, United States
Lexington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, although the two are separate jurisdictions, and is combined with it for statistical purposes by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Lexington is within the Shenandoah Valley about 57 miles (92 km) east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles (80 km) north of Roanoke, Virginia. First settled in 1778, Lexington is best known as the home of the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1777
- Population
- 7,320
- Area
- 2.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,063 ft
- ZIP code
- 24450
- Area code
- 540
Lexington’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Lexington.
East LexingtonLexington
More about Lexington
Still missing for Lexington:archive photosupcoming events