The Lexington housing market has been among the calmest in the nation since 1980 — it didn't boom as much or bust as hard as most other places — according to a review of data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Lexington saw large quarter-to-quarter price changes — increases or decreases of greater than 2 percent — during about 16 percent of quarters since 1980. That is a lower rate of volatility than all but 17 metro areas nationwide. By contrast, almost 40 metro areas, mostly in California and Florida, saw large quarter-to-quarter price changes in more than half of quarters since 1980.

Based on the data, the nation's most volatile housing market was Punta Gorda, Fla., which saw drastic price changes during 63 percent of quarters since 1980.

The least-volatile market since 1980 was not far from Lexington: the Cincinnati area, which had big changes during only 8 percent of quarters.