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Living in
Louisville.
About
Life in Louisville
Life here centers on affordability and accessibility—your paycheck stretches further than in comparable mid-sized metros, with a median home value around $233,900 and median rent sitting at $1,120 monthly, which means you're not spending half your income on housing. The job market is steady rather than booming, with a 4.6% unemployment rate and a mix of healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and bourbon-related industries providing stable work; most residents find themselves with a manageable 22-minute commute, though the metro does sprawl, so your actual experience depends heavily on which neighborhoods you choose. Weather is a trade-off—humid summers and frequent rain are real, but winters are mild enough that you're not shoveling snow constantly like northern cities.
Louisville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.8%
Foreign-Born
10.4%
Broadband Internet
90.5%
of households
Population Growth
+1.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.4% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Louisville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Louisville, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (29.5%), and 7.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.5%
of residents
65 and Older
16.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.5%
of households
Married Couples
37.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.34
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 16% above KY average
Rent, home values, and income in Louisville
In Louisville, rent runs 16% above the KY average, and home values are 14% above the KY average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
93.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,989
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $261,376 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for KY
Unemployment in Louisville and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Jefferson County, which includes Louisville, is close to the KY average.
Unemployment rate
Louisville: Jefferson County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jefferson County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Louisville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN metro area
Commute22.5 min avg
How Louisville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Louisville, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 6 mi
Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)
Small hub2.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 81 mi
Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
Medium hub4.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 105% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Louisville runs 105% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
673.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,454.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Louisville Metro Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jefferson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jefferson County, which includes Louisville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,000 |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $15,000 |
| 2020 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $270,000 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $101,000 |
| 2018 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.8M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jefferson County, county-wide
Air Quality49 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Jefferson County, which includes Louisville, is typically good — 188 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
49
Good Days
188
per year
Moderate Days
167
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Jefferson County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Louisville has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
69°/48°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
53.1"
Annual Snowfall
15.1"
Hot Days/Year
30
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
85
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
134
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 26°F | 3.83" |
| Feb | 47°F | 29°F | 3.71" |
| Mar | 57°F | 37°F | 5.12" |
| Apr | 68°F | 46°F | 5.34" |
| May | 77°F | 56°F | 5.79" |
| Jun | 84°F | 64°F | 4.86" |
| Jul | 87°F | 68°F | 4.68" |
| Aug | 87°F | 67°F | 3.33" |
| Sep | 81°F | 59°F | 3.84" |
| Oct | 70°F | 48°F | 4.19" |
| Nov | 57°F | 38°F | 3.86" |
| Dec | 46°F | 30°F | 4.56" |
Healthcare5 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Louisville
Louisville has 5 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
5
within city limits
Uninsured
6.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Louisville VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Uofl Health - Jewish Hospital and Mary & Elizabeth Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Uofl Health - Jewish Hospital and Mary & Elizabeth Hospital · 200 Abraham Flexner Way
- Hospital campus: UofL Health – Medical Center Northeast · 2401 Terra Crossing Blvd # 204, Louisville
- Outpatient center: UofL Physicians-Sports Medicine · 215 Central Ave Ste 200, Louisville
- Hospital campus: Mary & Elizabeth Hospital · 4402 Churchman Ave., Louisville
- Outpatient center: UofL Health - Medical Center East · 3920 Dutchmans Ln, Louisville
- Hospital campus: UofL Health – South Hospital · 1903 W. Hebron Ln, Shepherdsville
- Hospital campus: UofL Health – Medical Center Northeast · 2401 Terra Crossing Blvd, Louisville
- Hospital campus: UofL Health – South Hospital · 1905 W Hebron Ln Ste 106, Shepherdsville
Norton Hospitals, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Norton Hospitals, inc · 200 East Chestnut Street
- Hospital campus: Norton Audubon Hospital · 1 Audubon Plaza Dr, Louisville
- Hospital campus: Norton Women's and Children's Hospital · 4001 Dutchmans Ln, Louisville
- Hospital campus: Norton West Louisville Hospital · 850 S 28th St, Louisville
University of Louisville Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
The Brook Hospital - Dupont
Psychiatric · 4.9 mi away · Louisville
Baptist Health Louisville
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.1 mi away · Louisville
The Brook Hospital - Kmi
Psychiatric · ER available · 7.5 mi away · Louisville
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education15.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Louisville
Louisville's student/teacher ratio is 15.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 33.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
71
within city limits
Private Schools
20
within city limits
College Degree Rate
33.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Louisville
Galen College of Nursing-Louisville
Private for-profit · 4-year · 4,801 students · 74% graduate · median earnings $69,188 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 363 students · in-state tuition $14,200 · 38% graduate · median earnings $36,434 (10 yrs after entry)
Mid-America College of Funeral Service
11.3 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 2-year · 279 students · in-state tuition $20,800 · 64% graduate · median earnings $43,688 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Louisville
Louisville has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
National Historical Park
40 mi awayCamp Nelson National Monument
National Monument
63 mi awayMammoth Cave National Park
National Park
72 mi awayLincoln Boyhood National Memorial
National Memorial
73 mi awayWilliam Howard Taft National Historic Site
National Historic Site
90 mi awayMill Springs Battlefield National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Louisville
Fairdale Branch
10620 West Manslick Road, Fairdale
Newburg Branch
4800 Exeter Avenue, Louisville
South Central Reg
7300 Jefferson Boulevard, Louisville
Southwest Regional Branch
9725 Dixie Highway, Louisville
Compare Louisville
Popular side-by-side matchups
Cities Near Louisville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Louisville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Louisville FAQ
Is Louisville, Kentucky affordable?⌄
Louisville's median rent is $1,120/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $66,849/year. Median home value is $233,900.
Is Louisville, Kentucky safe?⌄
Louisville's violent crime rate was 674 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3455 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Louisville, Kentucky?⌄
Jefferson County, which includes Louisville, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Louisville, Kentucky?⌄
The cost of living in Louisville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,120/month and median household income is $66,849/year. The median home value is $233,900. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Louisville, Kentucky?⌄
The average commute in Louisville is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from