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
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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Written By
Natasha Claro
Video By
Jessica Johnson
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Tracy French
Tracy French
RE/MAX Premier Properties
(859) 470-3588
696 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$275,000 Price
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Jeremy Byers
Jeremy Byers
RE/MAX Premier Properties
(502) 677-3811
158 Total Sales
2 in Smoketown
$165K - $209K Price Range
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Jersenia Patterson
Jersenia Patterson
RE/MAX Premier Properties
(917) 451-6450
85 Total Sales
3 in Smoketown
$93K - $320K Price Range
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Heather Irish
Heather Irish
RE/MAX Properties East
(502) 677-4371
152 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$161,000 Price
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David Earls
David Earls
Schuler Bauer Real Estate Services ERA Powered
(502) 754-3823
320 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$150,000 Price
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Zach Tipton
Zach Tipton
Torrey Smith Realty Co., LLC
(502) 317-1462
126 Total Sales
1 in Smoketown
$218,000 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
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
Reviews
Are you familiar with the Smoketown neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Smoketown | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 7 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 9 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 9 | 4 |
| Robbery | 9 | 4 |
| Burglary | 6 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 6 | 4 |
| Larceny | 7 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 9 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Smoketown Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Smoketown, Louisville sell after 32 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Smoketown, Louisville over the last 12 months is $225,000, up 29% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$254,950
Median Sale Price
$225,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$239,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$244,750
Median Change From 1st List Price
2%
Last 12 months Home Sales
32
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
29%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$164
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes
442
Number of Homes for Sale
12
Median Year Built
1900
Months of Supply
4.50
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,317
Significantly below the national average
1,928
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
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-
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$4,042 per month
- Condo for Rent
- 3 Beds
- 2 Baths
- 1,743 Sq Ft
- 725 E Breckinridge St
- Unit ID1028894P
- Louisville, KY
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
$79,601
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
64.9%
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®
73
/ 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
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