Lexington, KY business phone guide
Population, businesses by sector and industry, area codes and local numbers for the Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area.
- Population
- 533,0002024 est.
- Establishments
- 13,490CBP 2023
- Counties
- 6
- Area codes
- 2
Lexington, KY at a glance
The Lexington-Fayette, KY metro area covers 6 counties in Kentucky and had 533,000 residents in July 2024, up 3.2% since April 2020. The U.S. population grew 2.6% over the same period. Fayette County, KY is the most populous, with 329,000 people. By population it ranks 109th of the 925 metro and micropolitan areas and 103rd by business establishments.
| County | Population (2024) |
|---|---|
| Fayette County, KY | 329,437 |
| Scott County, KY | 61,700 |
| Jessamine County, KY | 56,495 |
| Clark County, KY | 37,673 |
| Woodford County, KY | 27,728 |
| Bourbon County, KY | 20,333 |
Source: Census Vintage 2024 metropolitan and micropolitan area estimates.
Establishments and employment in Lexington, KY
County Business Patterns counted 13,490 establishments in the area in 2023, employing 240,076 people in mid-March with $13.2 billion in annual payroll. That is an average of 17.8 employees per establishment. 51.2% of establishments with employees had fewer than five people. By establishment count, the largest sectors are health care and social assistance (1,848), retail trade (1,729), and professional, scientific, and technical services (1,637).
| Sector (NAICS) | Establishments | Employees | Annual payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance (62) | 1,848 | 45,150 | $2,868,737,000 |
| Retail Trade (44) | 1,729 | 28,554 | $1,026,958,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54) | 1,637 | 15,987 | $1,220,432,000 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) (81) | 1,304 | 10,288 | $391,469,000 |
| Accommodation and Food Services (72) | 1,251 | 28,573 | $631,115,000 |
| Construction (23) | 1,128 | 15,160 | $1,129,275,000 |
| Finance and Insurance (52) | 838 | 5,952 | $522,559,000 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing (53) | 801 | 3,485 | $188,569,000 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (56) | 692 | 15,960 | $608,926,000 |
| Wholesale Trade (42) | 505 | 9,438 | $714,458,000 |
| Manufacturing (31) | 423 | 28,802 | $1,984,870,000 |
| Transportation and Warehousing (48) | 343 | 12,437 | $606,313,000 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71) | 283 | 4,461 | $136,688,000 |
| Information (51) | 267 | 3,529 | $211,912,000 |
| Educational Services (61) | 188 | 4,704 | $142,024,000 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises (55) | 95 | 5,408 | $665,077,000 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11) | 89 | 806 | $43,244,000 |
| Utilities (22) | 37 | 1,142 | $123,190,000 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (21) | 20 | 228 (high noise) | $15,746,000 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023, two-digit NAICS sectors. Manufacturing, retail and transportation span several two-digit codes; CBP reports them under 31, 44 and 48.
Lexington, KY compared with the U.S.
Lexington, KY has 25.3 business establishments per 1,000 residents, 2.9% above the U.S. figure of 24.6. Establishments average 17.8 employees against 16.7 nationally, and payroll per employee is $55,116 (19.4% below the U.S. $68,342). 51.2% of establishments with employees have fewer than five people (U.S.: 55.5%), while 6.0% have 50 or more. Most establishments are far smaller than the average suggests, so it pays to price a phone plan at the headcount you actually have rather than the average.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 6,904 | 51.2% | 55.5% |
| 5–9 employees | 2,404 | 17.8% | 17.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 1,908 | 14.1% | 12.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 1,469 | 10.9% | 9.1% |
| 50 or more employees | 805 | 6.0% | 5.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Small-business industries in Lexington, KY
Of the 141 industries these guides cover, 134 have a published Census count in Lexington, KY. The largest are limited-service restaurants (453), full-service restaurants (400), and physician practices (350). Relative to population, agencies providing services for the elderly and persons with disabilities are the most over-represented: 25.9 per 100,000 residents against 11.8 nationally.
Selected small-business industries (six-digit NAICS) covered by these guides. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Phone numbers in the Lexington, KY area
The area's named cities and towns have 255 NANPA-assigned exchanges across 2 area codes; 859 has the most (91%). Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a business serving several parts of the area can hold a number in each.
Local numbers by city
Pages for 8 cities and towns in the area list their area codes, prefixes and carriers.
| Place | Population (2024) | Area codes | Exchanges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 329,437 | 859 | 164 |
| Georgetown, KY | 40,518 | 502 | 18 |
| Nicholasville, KY | 33,458 | 859 | 10 |
| Winchester, KY | 19,413 | 859 | 29 |
| Versailles, KY | 10,656 | 859 | 9 |
| Paris, KY | 10,185 | 859 | 10 |
| Wilmore, KY | 6,268 | 859 | 4 |
| Midway, KY | 1,780 | 859 | 4 |
Phone costs for a typical Lexington, KY business
The comparison below uses 18 users, the rounded average establishment size in Lexington, KY. At list prices checked September 28, 2026, that is $449.10 a month on Ooma Office Pro and $540.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core. Callata comes to $359.00 a month for 18 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $359.00 | $4,308.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $342.00 | $4,104.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $414.00 | $4,968.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $449.10 | $5,389.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $486.00 | $5,832.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $540.00 | $6,480.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Callata in Lexington, KY
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
Porting a number you already use in Lexington, KY is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.
AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–9pm.
Frequently asked questions
What area codes serve Lexington, KY?
859 and 502, by NANPA-assigned exchanges in the area's named places.
How many businesses are in the Lexington, KY area?
13,490 establishments in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns.
How much does a business phone system cost in Lexington, KY?
Callata is $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user; for an 18-person team that is $359.00 a month. The same team on Ooma Office Pro lists at $449.10 a month (checked September 28, 2026).