Tree Equity in Lexington-fayette, KY

85.5

Tree Equity Score

27.6%

Canopy Cover

17.5%

Canopy Gap

Priority Areas

* Sources & data verification →

Data-only cityEquity data available. Programs, species, and local info need community input.

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What is the Tree Equity Score?

American Forests' Tree Equity Score combines tree canopy coverage, surface temperature, income, employment, race, age, and health data to identify where trees are needed most. Scores range from 0 to 100, and areas below 60 are priority for investment.

View Lexington-fayette on Tree Equity Score ↗

85.5

TES Score / 100

27.6%

Current Canopy

45.0%

Canopy Goal

17.5%

Canopy Gap

Current: 27.6%Goal: 45.0%

Current canopy

Gap to goal

Environmental Benefits

Carbon Sequestered

58.2K tons CO₂/yr

+42.7K tons if gap closed

Stormwater Intercepted

414.1M gal/yr

Avg Tree Shade at Noon

26.1%

Canopy Area

56.7 km²

of 211.7 km² total

Estimated using i-Tree urban canopy rates. Methodology ↗

Equity Indicators

These factors show how tree canopy gaps overlap with social and environmental vulnerabilities.

1930s Redlining

20.9%

of neighborhoods were graded "hazardous" or "declining" on 1930s federal lending maps. Banks refused to invest in these areas, and many are still under-treed decades later.

Environmental Justice

37.1%

of neighborhoods are classified as overburdened by the White House's Climate & Economic Justice Screening Tool, meaning they face outsized pollution, poverty, or health risks. Trees help, but they're not the whole fix.

Heat Island Effect

+0.7°F

hotter than surrounding areas on average. Pavement absorbs heat, trees block it. That's the whole pitch.

People in the Data

312,152

people live across the 210 Census block groups we analyzed. That's who these numbers represent.

Data last updated: Feb 2026

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