In Owensboro, the fourth-largest city in Kentucky, everything flows outward from the Ohio River. As one of the key population centers of life on the west side of the state, plenty Kenttucky's traditions are present, including bourbon distilleries, acclaimed barbecue restaurants and the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum. But the city’s connection to the river, thriving industrial sector and mature home market provide a daily lifestyle that stands apart from other communities in the Bluegrass State. "It's a very friendly, welcoming community with a great riverfront and big city amenities," says Mark Calitri, the President & CEO of the Owensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Audubon-Bon Harbor is bordered by the Ohio River.
Learn about the history of Jerry Garcia and Bluegrass at the Bluegrass Hall of Fame near Apollo.
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Suburban living in Owensboro
Owensboro’s median home value of about $200,000 sits well below the state and national medians. The housing market consists almost entirely of single-family homes, with a mature selection of homes primarily dating from the 20th century. Ranch-style properties built from the 1950s to the 1990s are popular, but eagle-eyed homebuyers may also be able to find minimal traditional homes, bungalows, Cape Cods or Colonial Revival properties in central neighborhoods like Dogwood Azalea and Midtown East. Selected 1990s and 21st-century homes with new traditional styles are also rare finds.
The most affordable houses are north of West Parish Avenue.
Residents in Midtown East have access to many parks and recreational areas.
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Teaching and learning at Owensboro Public Schools
Students in the Owensboro area are generally split between two school districts. Families within the Owensboro city limits are generally assigned to Owensboro Public Schools, which includes five elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school. The district earns a B-plus grade on Niche. Daviess County Public Schools earns a B-plus on Niche and includes the A-minus-ranked Tamarack Elementary School and Daviess County Middle School.
Tamarack Elementary School has students in PK, K-5th grades.
Daviess County High School has a 19 to 1 student to teacher ratio.
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Leisure and life on the Ohio River
Close to the riverfront, Smothers Park was the first park established in Owensboro, offering prime sunset views of the water and the Owensboro Bridge. Just a few blocks down, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum celebrates Kentucky’s homegrown musical genre with rotating exhibits and live performances. Outdoor art and displays of brilliant plant life are common sights at the Western Kentucky Botanical Gardens. Cyclists and runners can get some exercise while traveling across the city along the trail of Adkisson Greenbelt Park, which spans 15 miles and encircles the city.
All four seasons are part of the outdoor experience in Owensboro. The city has warm summers and chilly winters with occasional snow, in line with the general weather patterns of greater Kentucky.
Western Kentucky Botanical Garden has scenic green space in Audubon-Bon Harbor.
Residents enjoy a lazy swing while overlooking the Ohio River.
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Barbecue, small businesses and big box stores
Big box stores and the Malco Owensboro Cinema Grill are big draws on the east side of town near Leitchfield Road; familiar brands nearby include Walmart, Aldi and Menards. Varied small businesses line Frederica Street, where folks can also pick up groceries at Kroger. Diverse restaurants are peppered across town, but the city shares Kentucky’s statewide love for good barbecue; eateries such as Old Hickory Bar-B-Que in Wesleyan-Shawnee, Ole South Bar-B-Q on Leitchfield Road and Moonlite Bar-b-q Inn on Parish Avenue are local favorites.
Owensboro Health, US Bank Home Mortgage and Owensboro Public Schools are major employers in Owensboro. Toyotetsu Mid-America employs hundreds in automotive part manufacturing, while Specialty Food Group and Mizkan of America handle food production in town.
Owensboro Health Regional Hospital is the largest employer in the city of Owensboro.
Old Hickory Bar-B-Q, which has been an Owensboro staple since 1918.
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Celebrating bluegrass music at the Romp Festival
Each summer, Yellow Creek Park hosts the Romp Bluegrass Festival, where local and nationally known bluegrass bands take the stage for a weekend of music. Summer also brings the Friday After 5 concert series into town, with multiple stages of live entertainment alongside vendors and exhibitions.
Additional yearly gatherings include BBQ & Barrels, a festival in early May celebrating two of Kentucky’s greatest claims to fame: bourbon and barbecue. Seasonal entertainment includes Hometown Christmas, the city’s holiday celebrations in Downtown Owensboro, and the All-American Fourth of July event at Smothers Park on the riverfront.
An actress portrays Aileen Minnich, a historical figure of the local area in Voices of Elmwood.
A local actor portrays Charles Werner, a Prussian immigrant during Voices of Elmwood.
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Traveling around town via US-60
The Wendell H. Ford Expressway/US-60 is one of the key highways in Owensboro. It wraps around the outer city limits and connects to Kentucky Route 54 and important local roads such as New Hartford Road, Frederica Street and Carter Road. Locals here are about 40 miles southeast of Evansville, Indiana and 107 miles southwest of Louisville. Residents traveling without a car can catch Owensboro Transit System buses in town; the system operates nine routes across the city.
For medical emergencies, Owensboro Health Regional Hospital is on Pleasant Valley Road near the east side of the city. Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport is small with limited passenger services, but travelers can take Contour Airlines flights from there to Chicago to connect to other domestic and international hubs.
Important things to know
According to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, Owensboro generally has a higher rate of violent crime than national and state averages. Violent crimes reached a local high in 2022 but has declined since then. Property crimes have steadily fallen over the past decade, with a 27% decrease since 2016.
Written By
Tre Lyerly
Photography Contributed By
Andrew Nelson
Video By
Conar McDaniel
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
PHOENIX BURCHFIELD,
an experienced agent in this area.
On average, homes in Owensboro, KY sell after 36 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Owensboro, KY over the last 12 months is $205,000, up 9% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
