Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Joliet, IL
VS
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
🏆 Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 16 of 23 categories
Joliet
Illinois
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,971 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
150,221
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Kentucky
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,087
Violent Crime Index
69 ✓ Safer
Population
321,276 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Joliet, IL
Pros
Households earn $18,884 more per year on average
Cons
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 5.0%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Lexington-Fayette urban county
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY
Pros
25% less violent crime than Joliet
Violent crime is well below the national average (262.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 46.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (5.0%)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Joliet
Cons
Median income trails Joliet by $18,884/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Joliet
Median Income
$18,884
$84,971 vs $66,087/yr
Joliet
Median Home Value
$14k less
$233,800 vs $247,900
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.1 vs 102.6 (100 = US avg)
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Violent Crime
25% lower
262.0 vs 350.0 per 100k
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
5.0% vs 6.2% unemployment
Lexington-Fayette urban county
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 86.9°F vs 83.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Joliet, IL | Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.6⚠ High | 93.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $233,800 ✓ Lower | $247,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,174 | $1,065 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,971 ✓ Higher | $66,087 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 20.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.6% | 9.6% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 92 | 69 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | A- (114) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.2:1 | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.9% | 46.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 84.8% | 92.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Joliet PSD 86 | Fayette County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 31.1°F | 42.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.6°F | 86.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.2" ✓ Drier | 49.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.9" | 14.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,221 | 321,276 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 34.3 | 35.2 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.4% ✓ Higher | 54.3% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% ✓ More | 20.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.2% | 14.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Joliet's cost of living index is 102.6 vs Lexington-Fayette urban county's 93.1 (US average = 100).
Lexington-Fayette urban county is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lexington-Fayette urban county leads 16 of 23 categories. Joliet wins 7 and Lexington-Fayette urban county wins 16. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Joliet to Lexington-Fayette urban county or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($233,800 vs $247,900 median home), income ($84,971 vs $66,087), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Joliet, IL and Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY are about 310 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.
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