Lexington, Kentucky

**Lexington** is the 2nd largest city in Kentucky. In 2020, 322,570 people lived there. It is called "the Horse Capital of the World".

## History

Lexington was first named by a party of Virginians who camped here in June, 1775, after they heard the news about the Battle of Lexington, Massachusetts in April of that year starting the American Revolution against the British government. A fort was begun at the same spot in 1779, and by 1782 there was a town here known as _Lexington, Virginia_. This is because Kentucky was still part of Virginia then, and was not made into a state of its own until 1792. The Fifth Third Bank building located near the city center is a famous local landmark, and is sometimes called ‘The Big Blue Building.’

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Lexington, Kentucky
- **settlement type**: Consolidated city-county
- **nickname**: Athens of the West, Horse Capital of the World
- **named for**: Lexington, Massachusetts
- **blank name**: Federal Information Processing Standard, FIPS code
- **blank info**: 21-46027
- **image skyline**: File:LexingtonDowntown.JPG
- **image caption**: Downtown Lexington
- **image map**: Map of Kentucky highlighting Fayette County.svg
- **map caption**: Location in the Commonwealth of Kentucky
- **pushpin map**: USA
- **pushpin map caption**: Location in the United States
- **subdivision type**: Country
- **subdivision type1**: U.S. state, State
- **subdivision type2**: List of counties in Kentucky, County
- **subdivision name**: United States
- **subdivision name1**: Kentucky
- **subdivision name2**: Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette
- **government type**: Mayor–council government, Mayor–council
- **leader title**: Mayor
- **leader name**: Linda Gorton (Republican Party (United States), R)
- **established title**: Established
- **established date**: 1782
- **established title2**: Incorporated
- **established date2**: 1831
- **area total km2**: 739.5
- **area total sq mi**: 285.5
- **area land km2**: 734.6
- **area land sq mi**: 283.6
- **area water km2**: 4.9
- **area water sq mi**: 1.9
- **area urban km2**: 226.7
- **population as of**: 2020 United States Census, 2020
- **population total**: 322570
- **population rank**: US: List of United States cities by population, 57th
 Kentucky: List of cities in Kentucky, 2nd
- **population density km2**: 439
- **population density sq mi**: 1137
- **population urban**: 315,631 (US: List of United States urban areas, 130th)
- **population density urban km2**: 1,451
- **population density urban sq mi**: 3,758
- **population metro**: 516,811 (US: List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, 106th)
- **population blank1 title**: United States combined statistical area, CSA
- **population blank1**: 762,082 (US: List of Combined Statistical Areas, 70th)
- **population demonym**: Lexingtonian
- **timezone**: Eastern Standard Time Zone, EST
- **utc offset**: −5
- **timezone dst**: Eastern Daylight Time, EDT
- **utc offset dst**: −4
- **elevation m**: 298
- **elevation ft**: 978
- **postal code type**: ZIP codes
- **postal code**: 40502–40517, 40522–40524, 40526, 40533, 40536, 40544, 40546, 40550, 40555, 40574–40583, 40588, 40591, 40598
- **area code type**: North American Numbering Plan, Area code
- **area code**: Area code 859, 859