Lousiville's estimated 2016 population is around 620,000. The most recent census estimates released put the population at 615,366 in 2015, up from 596,823 in 2010. Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky and the 27th most populous city in the United States. Since 2003, the borders of Louisville are the same as Jefferson County, making Louisville a consolidated city-county.
Louisville has an estimated population of 755,000 or 626,000 in the city proper excluding the consolidated community. The city has a population density of 1836 people per square mile. The larger metropolitan area has a population estimated at 1.34 million, which is the 42nd largest metro area in the United States.
There are around 136,000 Roman Catholics in the city, most of whom are of German descent from large-scale immigration in the 19th century. 30% of Louisvillians are Southern Baptist, many of whom are descendants of people who moved to the city from Tennessee and rural Kentucky to work in the factories. German immigrants also brought Evangelical and Lutheran faiths to the city, which are still present today.
There are about 8,500 Jewish people in Louisville, as many Jewish families moved to the area from Eastern Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, as well as 4,000 to 10,000 practicing Muslims.
In 2005, Louisville was ranked as the 7th safest large city in the country.
The Louisville area was chosen as a settlement because it is located at the Falls of the Ohio State Park, which created a barrier to river travel. The first European settlement was Corn Island in 1779. Two years later, the town charter for Louisville was approved, and the city was named in honor of King Louis XVI of France, whose soldiers were then helping Americans in the Revolutionary War. Early residents eventually moved out by the 1780s due to Indian raids.
The city's growth in the 1800s was influenced by the fact that river boats had to unload and move downriver before reaching the falls. By 1828, the population reached 7,000, and the city was incorporated. It became a shipping port, and it was known as a point of escape for slaves moving north. It was also a stronghold for Union troops during the Civil War.
During World War II, Louisville became a center for factory war production, which later transitioned into manufacturing tractors and agricultural equipment. Like many other older cities in the country, the population began to shift in the 1960s as more people fled to the suburbs.
About 30% of the population growth in all of Kentucky is in Louisville's CSA counties. The consolidation of Louisville and Jefferson County also caused Louisville to grow 189% from 2000 to 2010. The region has been increasing slowly thanks to steady job growth, a low cost of living and affordable home prices. Louisville's growth can also be attributed to Kentucky residents moving from rural areas to the city, as the state as a whole grew just 6% from 2000 to 2010.
Louisville, Kentucky's estimated population is 620,118 according to the most recent United States census estimates. Louisville, Kentucky is the 1st largest city in Kentucky based on official 2017 estimates from the US Census Bureau.
The population density is 10093.90 people/mi² (3897.26 people/km²).
The overall median age is 37.2 years, 35.8 years for males, and 38.8 years for females. For every 100 females there are 93.6 males.
Based on data from the American Community Survey, in 2017 there were 274,295 households in the city, with an average size of 2.44 people per household. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9%, with a median rent of $779/month. The median house has 5.3 rooms, and has a value of $146,900.
The median income for households in Louisville, Kentucky is $49,439, while the mean household income is $69,805.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Louisville was:
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
| 2018 | 620,118 | 270 | 0.04% |
| 2017 | 619,848 | 2,386 | 0.39% |
| 2016 | 617,462 | 2,215 | 0.36% |
| 2015 | 615,247 | 2,738 | 0.45% |
| 2014 | 612,509 | 2,170 | 0.36% |
| 2013 | 610,339 | 6,229 | 1.03% |
| 2012 | 604,110 | 4,473 | 0.75% |
| 2011 | 599,637 | 3,482 | 0.58% |
| 2010 | 596,155 | 339,924 | 8.81% |
| 2000 | 256,231 | -12,832 | -0.49% |
| 1990 | 269,063 | -29,631 | -1.04% |
| 1980 | 298,694 | -63,012 | -1.90% |
| 1970 | 361,706 | -28,933 | -0.77% |
| 1960 | 390,639 | 21,510 | 0.57% |
| 1950 | 369,129 | 50,052 | 1.47% |
| 1940 | 319,077 | 11,332 | 0.36% |
| 1930 | 307,745 | 72,854 | 2.74% |
| 1920 | 234,891 | 10,963 | 0.48% |
| 1910 | 223,928 | 19,197 | 0.90% |
| 1900 | 204,731 | 43,602 | 2.42% |
| 1890 | 161,129 | 37,371 | 2.67% |
| 1880 | 123,758 | 23,005 | 2.08% |
| 1870 | 100,753 | 32,720 | 4.00% |
| 1860 | 68,033 | 24,839 | 4.65% |
| 1850 | 43,194 | 21,984 | 7.37% |
| 1840 | 21,210 | 10,869 | 7.45% |
| 1830 | 10,341 | 6,329 | 9.93% |
| 1820 | 4,012 | 2,612 | 11.10% |
| 1810 | 1,400 | 1,000 | 13.35% |
| 1800 | 400 | 200 | 7.18% |
| 1790 | 200 | 0.00% |
| Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
| 2018 | 1,297,301 | 4,492 | 0.35% |
| 2017 | 1,292,809 | 7,628 | 0.59% |
| 2016 | 1,285,181 | 6,204 | 0.48% |
| 2015 | 1,278,977 | 6,894 | 0.54% |
| 2014 | 1,272,083 | 7,012 | 0.55% |
| 2013 | 1,265,071 | 12,006 | 0.95% |
| 2012 | 1,253,065 | 8,420 | 0.67% |
| 2011 | 1,244,645 | 7,010 | 0.56% |
| 2010 | 1,237,635 | 0.00% |
| Race | Population |
| White | 434,067 |
| Black or African American | 142,498 |
| Two or More Races | 17,888 |
| Asian | 15,669 |
| Some Other Race | 4,275 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 745 |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 336 |
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
| All | 246,271 | 2.44 | 59.7 |
| Non Family | 99,813 | 1.26 | 45.8 |
| Married | 96,178 | 3.19 | 81.8 |
| Female | 37,414 | 3.35 | 41.8 |
| Male | 12,866 | 3.33 | 55.1 |
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 15,318 | 3.67% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 32,581 | 7.81% |
| High School Graduate | 120,593 | 28.89% |
| Some College | 96,150 | 23.03% |
| Associates Degree | 32,865 | 7.87% |
| Bachelors Degree | 70,334 | 16.85% |
| Graduate Degree | 49,581 | 11.88% |
| Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
| White | 297,759 | 268,051 | 95,274 |
| Black | 86,956 | 74,949 | 14,138 |
| Hispanic | 17,145 | 13,181 | 4,129 |
| Asian | 9,664 | 7,874 | 4,567 |
| Multiple Races | 6,154 | 5,689 | 2,020 |
| Other Race | 2,294 | 1,873 | 583 |
| Native American | 592 | 548 | 118 |
| Islander | 200 | 155 | 26 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 92.57%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 47.26%.
$35,790
Average Earnings
$40,983
Average Male
$31,278
Average Female
91.04% of Louisville residents speak only English, while 8.96% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 3.94% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
| White | 399,962 | 45,451 | 11.36% |
| Black | 139,296 | 40,544 | 29.11% |
| Hispanic | 30,929 | 7,922 | 25.61% |
| Multiple | 17,331 | 4,556 | 26.29% |
| Asian | 15,540 | 2,801 | 18.02% |
| Other | 3,914 | 650 | 16.61% |
| Native | 738 | 197 | 26.69% |
16.68%
Overall Poverty Rate
15.04%
Male Poverty Rate
18.22%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Louisville is Black, with 29.11% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Louisville is White, with 11.36% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.95%. Among those working part-time, it was 21.49%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 25.38%.
41.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
43.8%
Male Marriage Rate
40.0%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
| White | 28,797 | 8.25% |
| Black | 8,769 | 8.59% |
| Hispanic | 941 | 4.61% |
| 2 or More | 588 | 7.27% |
| Asian | 146 | 1.26% |
| Other | 138 | 4.79% |
| Indian | 138 | 22.15% |
| Hawaiian | 41 | 16.87% |
9.73%
Veteran Poverty Rate
29.76%
Veteran Disability Rate
65.3%
Labor Force Participation
60.7%
Employment Rate
6.9%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
92.86%
Native Born
7.14%
Foreign Born
4.13%
Non Citizen
92.86% of Louisville residents were born in the United States, with 69.63% having been born in Kentucky. 4.13% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.