Лексингтон занял 8-е место в США по привлекательности для поколения Z

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington-Fayette has again earned a spot among the nation’s top mid-sized cities for Generation Z, ranking No. 8 nationally in a new study examining affordability, employment opportunities, education and quality of life for young adults. The 2026 analysis from CommercialCafe compared U.S. cities with populations between 250,000 and 400,000 across nine metrics intended to measure how well communities meet the needs of Gen Z residents and recent college graduates. Lexington performed particularly well in education, affordability and the size of its Gen Z population. According to the study, 56.8% of Lexington-Fayette’s Gen Z population is enrolled in education, tied for the fifth-highest percentage among cities included in the analysis. The city’s higher education institutions include the University of Kentucky, Transylvania University and Bluegrass Community and Technical College. Gen Z residents account for 10.3% of Lexington-Fayette’s total population, also ranking fifth nationally among the cities studied. Affordability provided another advantage. Lexington’s cost of living was calculated at 7.1% below the national average, potentially giving young professionals more flexibility as they begin their careers and establish themselves financially. That combination of higher education, a sizable young-adult population and below-average living costs helped Lexington maintain a position among the study’s national top 10. The ranking also highlights a broader trend favoring Southern cities. Eight of the top 20 mid-sized cities for Gen Z were located in the South, giving the region the largest representation of any part of the country. For Lexington, attracting and retaining younger workers is particularly important as employers across Kentucky compete for talent. The city’s concentration of college students provides a significant pipeline of potential workers, while comparatively lower living costs could help Lexington retain graduates as they transition from college into the workforce. The complete rankings and methodology are available in CommercialCafe’s Best Mid-Sized Cities for Gen Z in 2026 study.   Tags Workforce