Lexington ranks where among the best run cities in the US?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — WalletHub released its annual best and worst-run cities in America list, and Lexington jumped in the rankings.

In 2022, WalletHub determined Lexington was the fifth-best-run city in the U.S., and 2023 saw Lexington raise the bar, jumping up to second.

Source: WalletHub

During trying times testing the effectiveness of area leadership as society transitions out of the COVID-19 society, WalletHub calculated which cities are performing the best and the worst in operating efficiency.

WalletHub defined operating efficiency as how well city officials manage and spend public funds by comparing the quality of services the citizens receive with the city’s total budget.

According to the study, Lexington ranked second in total budget per capita and 42nd in the quality of city services. The quality of city services is broken down into six service categories:

Financial stability
Education
Health
Safety
Economy
Infrastructure and Pollution

Specifically, Lexington ranked 56th in financial stability, 14th in education, 79th in health, 45th in safety, 78th in economy, and 128th in infrastructure and pollution. Lexington rose in financial stability and education but fell in the remaining four categories.