Firefighter Salary in Lexington, KY — 2026
Firefighter salary data for Lexington, KY — adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Firefighter salary in Lexington, KY is $36,490 per year ($3,041/month, $17.54/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Firefighters in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan area, which covers Lexington. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 92) would have estimated $54,538; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Also known as: Fire Fighter, Fire Officer, Engine Crew, Fire Department Officer. The estimates on this page are used for these related job titles in Lexington, KY, although actual pay can differ by title and scope.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Firefighters (SOC 33-2011), Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Firefighter Take-Home Pay in Lexington
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $36,490 |
| Federal Tax | -$2,199 |
| State Tax (3.2% eff.) | -$1,160 |
| Local Tax (2.3%) | -$821 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$2,791 |
| Annual Take-Home | $29,519 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $2,460 |
Living Cost Comparison
Firefighter Requirements
Key Skills
Firefighter salary search terms in Lexington
People comparing Firefighter pay in Lexington, KY may use related job-title wording. Salario keeps the main estimate tied to the Firefighter role, then treats the terms below as comparison phrases that should be checked for licensing, employer type, seniority, and role scope.
| Comparison point | How to use it |
|---|---|
| Primary local answer | $36,490 median salary, $24,700-$51,500 modeled range, and $29,519 estimated take-home pay in Lexington. |
| Title variants | Fire Fighter, Fire Officer, Engine Crew, Fire Department Officer can point to similar searches, but some variants may represent a narrower specialty or a higher/lower seniority band. |
| Offer comparison | Compare base salary, hourly equivalent, take-home pay, certifications, local cost of living, and whether the job is employee, contractor, public-sector, commission-heavy, or management-level. |
Lexington Job Market Overview
Lexington, Kentucky has a population of 322,570 and an unemployment rate of 3.0%. The top industries are Education, Healthcare, Technology. The local job growth rate is 1.8%, and the average commute time is 21minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Firefighter Salary in Nearby Kentucky Cities
Salary Percentile Breakdown — Firefighter in Lexington
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Firefighter in Lexington, KY, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $24,700 | $12/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $30,595 | $15/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $36,490 | $18/hr | Mid-career, Fire Academy |
| 75th | $51,500 | $25/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $67,800 | $33/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Lexington's Education sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 12.0% salary growth for Firefighters over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Lexington estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Firefighter can expect a 8.5% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 9 years in Lexington. Negotiation, certifications (EMT-B, Firefighter I/II), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Lexington vs National Average
The national median Firefighter salary is $59,280 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Firefighters). In the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro, the BLS median of $36,490 is 38.4% below the national figure. Lexington's cost of living index is 92 (lower than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Firefighters, this means: rent typically consumes 44.7% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered rent-burdened), and a median home in Lexington costs about 8.8× annual take-home. Homeownership in Lexington on this salary is challenging — most experts recommend keeping home costs to 3-4× income.
Industry Context: Education in Lexington
Lexington's economy is anchored by Education, Healthcare, Technology, with 322,570 residents and an unemployment rate of 3.0% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Firefighters can differ by sector, so compare Education employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.8%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 4.0% growth outlook for Firefighter roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Firefighter salaries in Lexington, KY:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Firefighters (SOC 33-2011) in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Lexington-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($54,538 modeled) using the Lexington index of 92 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), KY 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 3.5%), Lexington local tax of 2.3%, and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine — occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook — occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) — regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau — Lexington QuickFacts — population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary — 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics — official local unemployment rates to verify the Lexington figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Firefighter salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Education vs others in Lexington), specific skill set (Fire Suppression, EMT, Rescue Operations), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Firefighter salary in Lexington, KY?
How much does a Firefighter take home in Lexington after taxes?
Is Lexington a good city for Firefighters?
What skills are needed for a Firefighter in Lexington?
How does Firefighter salary in Lexington compare to the national average?
What job titles are similar to Firefighter in Lexington?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Firefighter salary in Lexington, KY?
The median Firefighter salary in Lexington, KY is $36,490 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Firefighters (SOC 33-2011) in the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $24,700 and the senior estimate of $51,500 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Firefighter take home in Lexington after taxes?
A Firefighter earning the median salary of $36,490 in Lexington, KY takes home approximately $29,519 per year ($2,460/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 19.1%.
Is Lexington a good city for Firefighters?
Lexington, KY has a cost of living index of 92 (below national average). Firefighters here earn below the city median. The local unemployment rate is 3.0% and top industries include Education, Healthcare, Technology.
What skills are needed for a Firefighter in Lexington?
Key skills for Firefighters include Fire Suppression, EMT, Rescue Operations, Hazmat, Equipment Operation. Typical education requirement is High School Diploma + Fire Academy. Valuable certifications include EMT-B, Firefighter I/II, Hazmat Operations.
How does Firefighter salary in Lexington compare to the national average?
The national median for Firefighters is $59,280 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro, the BLS median is $36,490, which is 38.4% lower than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 92) would have estimated $54,538.
What job titles are similar to Firefighter in Lexington?
Related search terms for Firefighter in Lexington, KY include Fire Fighter, Fire Officer, Engine Crew, Fire Department Officer. Use them as comparison terms, not always exact matches: licensing, employer type, seniority, public-sector rules, and whether the role is W-2, contractor, clinical, technical, management, or sales-focused can change the salary range.