Louisville, Kentucky Population 2023

323,749

Louisville is a city located in Jefferson County Kentucky. It is also the county seat of Jefferson County. With a 2023 population of 323,749, it is the 2nd largest city in Kentucky and the 61st largest city in the United States.Louisville is currently declining at a rate of -6.1% annually and its population has decreased by -16.32% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 386,884 in 2020. Spanning over 275 miles, Louisville has a population density of 1,229 people per square mile.

The average household income in Louisville is $74,580 with a poverty rate of 18.27%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Louisville is 37.7 years, 36.1 years for males, and 39.2 years for females.

Since 2003, the borders of Louisville are the same as Jefferson County, making Louisville a consolidated city-county.

Louisville Religion Statistics

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.

Louisville Population Growth

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.

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.

Louisville Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Louisville was:

  • White: 68.35%
  • Black or African American: 24.02%
  • Two or more races: 3.48%
  • Asian: 2.67%
  • Other race: 1.29%
  • Native American: 0.12%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.07%
The current population of Louisville, Kentucky is 323,749 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 386,884.

Louisville, Kentucky Population 2023

Louisville Metro Area Population by Year

Population by Race

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Asian

Other race

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Louisville Population by Race

Louisville Population Pyramid 2023

Louisville Median Age

37.7

Total

36.1

Male

39.2

Female

Louisville Adults

There are 480,785 adults, (94,018 of whom are seniors) in Louisville.

Louisville Age Dependency

60

Age Dependency Ratio

24.3

Old Age Dependency Ratio

35.7

Child Dependency Ratio

Louisville Sex Ratio

Female319,27551.6%
Male299,45848.4%

Louisville Population by Age

Louisville Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

3.11

Average Family Size

2.4

Average Household Size

60.1%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Louisville Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Louisville Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Louisville Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 79.64%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 41.25%.

Louisville Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$38,882

Average Earnings

$44,194

Average Male

$33,896

Average Female

Louisville Earnings by Educational Attainment

Louisville Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Louisville Language

89.89% of Louisville residents speak only English, while 10.11% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 4.67% of the population.

Louisville Language

Louisville Poverty by Race

rate

18.27%

Overall Poverty Rate

13.91%

Male Poverty Rate

16.46%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Louisville

The race most likely to be in poverty in Louisville is Islander, with 54.29% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Louisville is White, with 11.89% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.42%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.28%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.68%.

Louisville Poverty

Louisville Poverty Rate by Education

Louisville Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Louisville Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Louisville Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

41.9%

Overall Marriage Rate

44.0%

Male Marriage Rate

40.1%

Female Marriage Rate

Louisville Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Louisville Marriage

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 35-44.

Louisville Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Louisville Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

35,164

Number of Veterans

31,702

Male Veterans

3,462

Female Veterans

Louisville Veterans by War

Louisville Veterans by Age

count

Louisville Veterans by Race

Louisville Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

7.46%

Veteran Poverty Rate

31.49%

Veteran Disability Rate

Louisville Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

65.7%

Labor Force Participation

61.9%

Employment Rate

5.7%

Unemployment Rate

Louisville Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Louisville Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Louisville Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

108.81%

Born in Louisville

147.05%

Native Born

12.88%

Foreign Born

7.07%

Non Citizen

5.81%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

147.05% of Louisville residents were born in the United States, with 108.81% having been born in Kentucky. 7.07% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Louisville Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Louisville Population by Year