Living in Louisville

Dusk skyline photo of the Louisville waterfront with light reflections in the Ohio River

As the home of Muhammad Ali, Louisville Slugger and the Kentucky Derby, the city offers countless attractions, restaurants, parks and more to entice foodies, arts fans and outdoor enthusiasts.

Visit UofL

Louisville is the perfect mix of Southern charm and big city culture. Situated on the banks of the Ohio River, America's 17th largest city boasts a cost of living that is substantially lower than the national average, with a broad range of affordable housing options from high-rise apartments and historic Victorian homes to suburban communities and rural farms.

Louisville by the numbers

We think Louisville is pretty great, but don’t just take our word for it. Our city, food, parks and even the tap water are nationally recognized.

Most Beautiful & Affordable Places to Live

Travel + Leisure 2023

Best Food Cities in the U.S.

Travel + Leisure 2023

#14

Best Cities for New College Graduates

SmartAssets 2022

Facts about Louisville

Student sitting in a red chair and talking with another student while holding a water bottle.

Best Tasting Tap Water

Louisville Tap has been named Best Tasting Tap Water in America twice by the American Water Works Association.

Three students talking on the steps at Waterfront Park in downtown Louisville.

Best Riverwalks in the US

Louisville’s Waterfront Park was ranked #3 in USA Today's 10 Best Riverwalks in 2023.

View of the downtown Louisville skyline and riverfront

Louisville is a top destination

The New York Times listed Louisville #40 on its list of 52 Place to Go in 2023.

Louisville supports the LGBTQ+ community

Louisville has earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index every year since 2015. The index scores cities based on their support of the LGBTQ+ community.

A group of music students performing outside Ekstrom Library

Louisvillians wrote 'Happy Birthday'

The ‘Happy Birthday’ song was written in Louisville by sisters Mildred and Patty Hill for their kindergarten class. The only known manuscript of the original song is housed in UofL's Music Library.

photo depicting a disco ball hung up outside

We're the world's largest producer of disco balls

Louisville is one of the few disco ball producers in the world, famous for creating disco balls for Studio 54, Beyonce and Madonna.

Just a short drive away

Route	Distance	Drive Time
Louisville to Cincinnati	100 miles	1.5 hours
Louisville to Indianapolis	114 miles	2 hours
Louisville to Evansville	123 miles	2 hours
Louisville to Nashville	175 miles	2.75 hours
Louisville to St. Louis	260 miles	4 hours
Louisville to Chicago	295 miles	4.75 hours

What our students love about Louisville

In addition to a vibrant campus life, our students enjoy all the perks of living in a thriving metropolitan city. Louisville is well-known for its vibrant arts scene, rich history, beautiful parks system and world-class attractions.