A nice small city with alot of potential
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6/15/2006
I've visited Lexington many times over the last 3 years and even lived there for 2 or 3 months at a time on 2 separate occassions.
In my opinion it is a very nice small-sized city with alot to offer. But that would depend on what one was looking for in a city, particularly the size of Lexington.
With a population of around 300,000 people, and the population density being very low in comparison to other cities its size, it hasn't suffered any of the big-city problems--at least not yet.
Being a "college town", it seems to be quite culturally diverse. And the people are generally friendly and considerate. Far more so than what I've experienced in many other southern cities.
Traffic tends to move pretty well and rush hour is really not all that bad. Modest gridlock if it even ever occurs. And road rage seems to be non-existent.
Crime rates vary, depending on which side of town you're in, but, for the most part, is fairly low to moderate (of course, downtown in most any city of any size tends to have a higher crime rate). A good sized and obvious police presence gives a fair sense of security.
Unemployment is extremely low (about 2% or less) and the area seems to be fairly recession-proof. Often one will see "Now Hiring" signs, especially during the summer months when the college students go home for the summer.
One of the nicest things about Lexington, at least in my opinion, is the beautiful surrounding countryside and the seemingly endless number of horse farms. Granted, Lexington justly earned the title "The Horse Capitol of the World", but to fully comprehend why it earned that title one would have to see and experience it for themselves.
And in the blink of an eye one can go from the city limits to suddenly being "in horse country".
Unfortunately, there is one major downside to this area. Like all cities who want to prosper, growth is the key to achieving prosperity. Lexington has been in a major construction boom for some time now, with homes, shopping centers, and corporate buildings rising up from where horses used to graze in the meadows and pastures. It's a sad sight to see. And Lexington's proximity along I-75 will only encourage more growth.
For now, Lexington still maintains alot of it's small city charm. But unfortunately this aspect will only be history in the near future.
IDaveZ | New Baltimore, MI