Smoke billowing from brickyard kilns back in the 19th century gave Smoketown its name, a South Louisville suburb where colorful murals of the city’s history stretch the ten blocks east of Interstate 65 and ten blocks south of East Broadway that make up this town. “Smoketown can be seen as the gateway to downtown Louisville, connecting the surrounding neighborhoods through Logan Street,” says Barrett Goff, a Broker at Allodium Real Estate with 11 years of experience with both residential and commercial properties in Louisville. Shotgun homes built in the early 1900s maintain the district’s character, but newer developments and renovations are on the rise. “Spalding University, University of Louisville, and Bellarmine University are all nearby, so there’s a lot of opportunity for students and investors to buy older homes and renovate them,” Goff adds.
Smoketown
$204,274
Average Value
Established brick shotgun homes
Sidewalks and narrow side streets run through the gridded residential pockets in Smoketown, where predominantly one- and two-story shotgun homes stand close together. “There are a lot more brick homes here, and some paint the brick beautifully. Some are made of 2-foot brick, making these houses much sturdier,” says Goff. These homes, some with fenced-in quarter-acre backyards, range between 1,000 and 2,000 square feet and typically cost from $150,000 to $350,000. “The number of older homes in Smoketown provide ample opportunities to buy and remodel,” adds Goff.
/
Local eateries and planned developments
“Smoketown has a lot of smaller mom-and-pop shops,” says Goff. One is Shirley Mae’s Cafe & Bar, which has been serving southern soul food in an 1880s brick building and has been a neighborhood staple for more than three decades. “The first major development in Smoketown is coming soon—the old Ice Tower building on the corner of Lampton Street and Logan Street is being renovated. There will be condos and apartments on the upper floors and a distillery, a brewery and other retail on the bottom levels,” he says. The area has many smaller grocery markets, Neighborhood Food Mart being the local stop in Smoketown. “And on Logan Street there’s the Logan Street Market, which serves as a great spot for food and drink vendors to get their start.”
/
Culture in downtown Louisville
It’s an easy trek on Logan Street to downtown Louisville, just a mile north. There, residents can explore the variety of museums, shops and restaurants in the city. “Louisville is considered a big small town because we have a lot of cultural activities that don’t exist in other towns this size,” says Minor. In addition to the Louisville Orchestra and Louisville Ballet, Museum Row and Whiskey Row offer a cultural view of the area’s history.
/
Top-rated Jefferson County public schools
Smoketown is part of the Jefferson County Public Schools district. Students can begin with a 9-1 student-teacher ratio at Engelhard Elementary School, graded a C-minus on Niche. They can progress to Meyzeek Middle School, graded an A-minus and ranked the No. 4 best public middle school in the county, according to Niche. Atherton High School, the No. 16 best public high school in the state that Niche grades an A-minus, serves the area’s high schoolers. Just west of town is Francis Parker School of Louisville, a private school for kindergarten through twelfth graders with an A-plus Niche grade.
/
Perfect squares of green space
Locals can stretch their legs with a walk to Ballard Park, a small neighborhood park with a playground and basketball courts. To the south is Shelby Park, where residents enjoy the playground, walking trail, basketball courts and a splash pad. “It’s a perfect little square park, giving the area a community feel,” Goff adds.
/
Interstate and international travel
Interstate 65 runs along the west side of town, conveniently leading to downtown Louisville and passing the U of L Hospital on the way. There are several TARC bus stops dispersed around Smoketown, and Louisville International Airport is just 5 miles south.
/
Written By
Natasha Claro
Video By
Jessica Johnson
Was this overview helpful?
Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Jersenia Patterson
Jersenia Patterson
RE/MAX Premier Properties
(917) 451-6450
75 Total Sales
2 in Smoketown
$93K - $320K Price Range
-
David Earls
David Earls
Schuler Bauer Real Estate Services ERA Powered
(502) 754-3823
371 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$150,000 Price
-
Kay Cummins-Maum
Kay Cummins-Maum
PR Realty Group, LLC
(502) 586-3435
83 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$163,000 Price
-
Wendy Harris
Wendy Harris
Diamond Key REALTORS
(502) 385-4629
57 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$158,500 Price
-
Tracy French
Tracy French
RE/MAX Premier Properties
(859) 470-3588
708 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$275,000 Price
-
Crystal Mc Afee
Crystal Mc Afee
Metro Advantage Realty
(812) 382-3010
117 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$170,000 Price
Schools
Source:
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 6th to 12th
- Public
- 6th to 8th
- Public
- K to 5th
- Public
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Shelby Park Community Center
- Picnic Area
- Trails
- Playground
Rubel Park
- Baseball/Softball
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
German-Paristown Park
- Picnic Area
- Playground
Ballard Park
- Basketball
- Grills
- Playground
Memorial Park
May Hillerich Park
- Playground
Transit
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
441
Median Year Built
1900
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,310
Significantly below the national average
1,924
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,839
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
940
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
3,484
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
-
-
$5,470 per month
- Condo for Rent
- 3 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1,743 Sq Ft
- 725 E Breckinridge St
- Unit ID1028894P
- Louisville, KY
-
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
2,246
Median Age
34
Population Density
12 ppl/acre
Population under 18
29.5%
Above the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
10.6%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$37,440
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$54,155
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
87.7%
College Graduates
24.2%
Advanced Degrees
1.7%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
78.9%
Above the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
48''
Average Winter Low Temperature
28°F
Average Summer High Temperature
89°F
Annual Snowfall
14''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
68
/ 100
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
75
/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
48
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods
Germantown
Suburban neighborhood a few minutes from downtown Louisville
Original Highlands
Traditional homes and a lively retail corridor meet in this vibrant community
Old Louisville
Conveniently located Louisville neighborhood with no lack of history
Phoenix Hill
Vibrant, urban living with historic Louisville homes
Shelby Park
Community-driven pocket with green space and both established and renovated homes
NuLu
Five blocks of homes, restaurants, art galleries and bourbon distilleries
Reviews
Are you familiar with the Smoketown neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Was this page helpful?
