Thinking about moving to Louisville? Derby City is the perfect place for families to live because of its top-rated schools, affordable housing, and variety of family-friendly activities. Check out these five best neighborhoods in Louisville for raising a family!
Bonnycastle
Photo via @housesoflouisville
- Home Price: $421,400 median purchase price; $765 median monthly rent
- Crime Rate: Safer than 96% of Louisville neighborhoods
If you’re looking for one of the safest neighborhoods in Louisville to raise a family, Bonnycastle is a great place to live! Part of the larger Highlands area of Louisville, Bonnycastle is a favorite among families for its safe streets and kid-friendly summer activities—like activity-based classes in local green spaces at places like Tinkergarten! Plus, this Louisville neighborhood is in a convenient location near excellent local public and private schools, including Bloom Elementary School, The de Paul School, and St. James Catholic School. This quaint area is filled with tree-lined streets and large front yards, which are ideal for families looking to settle down here. And while the cost of home ownership is higher in this neighborhood than in other areas of Louisville, you’ll be sure to find a unique home in Bonnycastle among the large Tudor, Victorian, and Craftsman-style houses.
Things to Do in Bonnycastle
Head out to a huge outdoor space that features a 2.3-mile scenic loop and fun activities like archery, soccer, and tennis: Cherokee Park. Book a tee time for the whole family at the Cherokee Golf Course, one of the oldest public golf courses in Louisville. Attend the annual event that overtakes Sherwood Avenue on Kentucky Derby Eve, and experience amazing food trucks, craft beers, and live music benefiting local charities at Sherby. Find a wide array of antique jewelry, local art, and handcrafted gifts at the Edenside Gallery. Start off your day with a 24K Gold Latte, Mega Mocha, or Cappuccino at the Safai Coffee Shop. Fuel up and can chow down on Steak Wrap, Pulled Beef Panini, or a Falafel Salad at Shiraz Mediterranean Grill. Try Za’s Pizza Pub, a local staple that offers dishes like a Six Cheese ZA, Veggie Calzone, or an Italian Sub. Dig into Vietnamese cuisine like Red Curry, Pho Do Bien, or Crispy Dumplings at Pho Cafe on Bardstown.
Butchertown
Photo via @alanwaderealty
- Home Price: $132,167 median purchase price; $862 median monthly rent
- Crime Rate: Safer than 64% of Louisville neighborhoods
With home values lower than the national average and impressive safety rates, Butchertown is a great Louisville neighborhood to consider living in with your family! This hip, up-and-coming neighborhood in Louisville has renovated meatpacking warehouses like the Butchertown Market into a variety of shops and restaurants. Plus, Butchertown boasts plenty of outdoor recreation spots like Waterfront Park near the Ohio River! Residents can find excellent schools like Lincoln Elementary Performing Arts School, and the neighborhood is interspersed with historic shotgun-style homes and Greek Revival houses. Families can find a variety of events in Butchertown to attend, such as the annual Butchertown Art Fair in June and the neighborhood’s well-known Oktoberfest in the fall.
Things to Do in Butchertown
Sign the little ones up for a Sprouts Summer Camp where kids can explore hands-on gardening activities at the Waterfront Botanical Gardens. Visit the Thomas Edison House, where you can see some of the earliest phonographs, the first home motion picture projector, and more. Kickflip and ollie with your kids or tackle the 24-foot full pipe at the David Armstrong Extreme Park. Get tickets to a Louisville Bats (MiLB) game at the Louisville Slugger Field. Brunch on a Breakfast Burrito, Avocado Toast, or a Bacon Breakfast Sandwich at the vegetable-centric Naive Kitchen + Bar. Pick up a Chocolate Doughnut, Salted Butterscotch Bar, or a Fried Chicken Doughnut Sandwich at female-owned Hi-Five Doughnuts. Fill up on Vietnamese cuisine like Beef Pho, Chicken Curry, or a Pork Spring Roll at Pho Ba Lu. Or enjoy the Smoky Three Pepper Wings, the Supreme Dream Pizza, or the Veggie Deelight Pizza at Wichin’ Pizza.
Crescent Hill
Photo via @housesoflouisville
- Home Price: $253,250 median purchase price; $715 median monthly rent
- Crime Rate: Safer than 70% of Louisville neighborhoods
One of the larger family-friendly neighborhoods in Louisville is Crescent Hill. This tree-lined residential area is highly regarded for its safety and affordability, and it offers a number of excellent schools like Sacred Heart Academy. Crescent Hill’s diverse range of housing spans from cozy cottages and brick bungalows to Modern ranches and Southern-style estates. Families living in this quaint Louisville neighborhood can find holiday traditions like street-wide trick-or-treating on Hillcrest Avenue, which is often known as the city’s Halloween Street. And you can’t forget about the sparkling gem at the neighborhood’s heart—the Crescent Hill Reservoir & Gatehouse, a historic spot that’s popular among both local photographers and joggers.
Things to Do in Crescent Hill
Play nine holes at a uniquely-designed course that’s fun and challenging for all skill levels: Crescent Hill Golf Course. Hit up the pool for kids swimming lessons and adult fitness classes at the Mary T Meagher Aquatic Center. Take the kids to enjoy interactive storytelling events through musical performances like Once Upon an Orchestra at the Crescent Hill Library. Check out abstract art, figurative art, exhibitions, and sculptures made by various Kentucky artists at Wheelhouse Art. Start off your morning feasting on Eggs Benedict, a Breakfast Burrito, or Chorizo Breakfast Bowl at Eggs Over Frankfort. Lunch on a Chicken Gyro, Lamb Chop Kabob, or Pomegranate Stew at Caspian Grill Persian Bistro. Get a taste of “the bird that bites back” at Joella’s Hot Chicken and get the Fried Tenders, Big Wings, or the famous Pie-In-A-Jar dessert. Or pop into Blue Dog Bakery & Cafe for the Margherita Flatbread, Cobb Salad, or Spicy Tuna Sandwich.
Highlands Douglass
Photo via @thatkentuckygirl
- Home Price: $350,100 median purchase price; $899 median monthly rent
- Crime Rate: Safer than 72% of Louisville neighborhoods
Known by locals as just “Douglass,” Highlands Douglass is a tight-knit, mid-sized neighborhood that frequently tops the list for best family-friendly neighborhoods in Louisville. Families can find highly-rated schools in this Louisville neighborhood like Village School of Louisville and Louisville Classical Academy, and you’ll always find restaurant or entertainment options in the area. In addition, Highlands Douglass offers spacious Tudor, Colonial, and Southern-style homes, with close proximity to Downtown Louisville and nearby expansive green spaces like Cherokee Park and Seneca Park. Plus, families can attend neighborhood events to get to know their community like the Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social and Big Rock Jazz and Blues Fest.
Things to Do in Highland Douglass
Find local vendors, fresh produce, and live entertainment at the Douglass Loop Farmers Market. Make your way to The Great Escape to find a wide selection of records, DVDs, comic books, and games. Stop by the Douglass Community Center to play a game of indoor basketball or volleyball. Catch an improv performance or a theater production at the Bard Theatre. Check out Mexican favorites for breakfast like Tacos de Huevos, Chilaquiles Rojos, or a Chorizo Omelette at La Suerte Louisville. Grab a seat at Twig and Leaf and dine on The Garden Burger or a Country-Fried Steak Sandwich for lunch. Order Smoked Wings, BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos, or Smoked Brisket for dinner at Noche Mexican BBQ. Or stop in quick and pick up a freshly-baked pie or choose from over 25 flavors of homemade ice cream at Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen.
Old Louisville
Photo via @thekentuckygent
- Home Price: $134,500 median purchase price; $547 median monthly rent
- Crime Rate: Safer than 55% of Louisville neighborhoods
Searching for the best neighborhoods in Louisville to raise a family? Check out Old Louisville! This charming Kentucky neighborhood’s tree-lined streets are home to America’s largest preserved district of Victorian homes and mansions, meaning Old Louisville offers housing options in addition to Italianate-style homes and preserved brick condos. Families in Old Louisville can send their children to quality schools within the neighborhood like Engelhard Elementary School, Noe Middle School, and duPont Manual High School. Plus, families looking for things to do in Louisville can find community events and a variety of family-friendly festivals like the Shakespeare Festival held in the summer at the neighborhood’s bustling 17-acre Central Park.
Things to Do in Old Louisville
Let the kids play on the playground or walk your dog at Ben Washer Park. Visit the Louisville Memorial Auditorium, where you can watch a hip hop concert, dance recital, or dance competition. Make your way to the St. James Court Art Show, which features contemporary crafts, fine art, and clay art from over 600 talented artists. Embark on a tour of the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum to see Richardsonian Romanesque architecture or attend events like a Victorian Garden Tea Party. Stroll through and view Native American art or exhibitions like Auguste Rodin’s The Three Shades at the Speed Art Museum. Begin your morning at Burger Boy and try the Breakfast Sandwich, Raisin Bread French Toast, or the Ultimate Corned Beef Hash. Head to the elegant J Graham’s Cafe to try a Bluegrass B.L.T., Hot Brown Pasta, or the Impossible Burger. Fill up on seafood cuisine like a Catfish Fillet, Super Whitefish Sandwich, or Mini Shrimp Basket at Hill Street Fish Fry. Or pop in and chow down on a BBQ Chicken Pizza, Old Louisville Supreme Pizza, or Cheese Calzone at Pizza Donisi.
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Neighborhood statistics from AreaVibes
