Deep Driver: Quality of Place
Overall, Louisville’s strength as a regional hub weakened somewhat over the decade. Its share of the region’s 1.2 million population declined, as outer counties grew more rapidly than its 7% increase to a total of 741,096.
But its dominance as the regional population hub fell less than in many other cities, where the trend for inner counties to hollow out, just as inner cities did, has taken hold, and its strength as a regional job hub continues with 69% of jobs in the MSA located in Jefferson County.
Perhaps the most ominous revelations in the 2010 Census are depicted in the composite picture that emerges from the accompanying maps: increasing rates of poverty spreading into many quarters of the community and dramatic increases in vacant and abandoned homes.
Since 1960, the percentage of vacant houses in Louisville Metro remained stable between 5% and 6% -- but jumped to 10% during the last half of the decade, as the national housing and foreclosure crisis hit. The map charting changes in population over the decade shows that eastern suburbs swelled, while areas west of I-65 and older areas of the city lost residents and economic ground.
Those areas of distress now extend into well-established neighborhoods and represent a red flag for an important component of Louisville’s distinctive quality of place: its diverse range of strong neighborhoods.
The maps also reveal notable exceptions. The revitalized housing market in the Park DuValle neighborhood and other areas of western Louisville stands out -- demonstrating that investments in established neighborhoods can pay off.
Louisville’s physical infrastructure also represents a worsening challenge, with traffic congestion greater than in several of its peer cities and a recent evaluation dubbing more than half of its roadways in need of improvement.
The 2010 Census also confirmed the increasing diversity of Louisville. Minority groups fueled population growth, and the census tracks that showed the largest increases among African-American residents were in the far eastern suburbs.
Health indicators showed improvement over the decade, although Louisville’s overall rates of obesity, diabetes and smoking exceed national averages. Key environmental indicators on air quality are trending in the right direction but fluctuated over the decade.
Deep Driver: Quality of Place
Overall, Louisville’s strength as a regional hub weakened somewhat over the decade. Its share of the region’s 1.2 million population declined, as outer counties grew more rapidly than its 7% increase to a total of 741,096.
But its dominance as the regional population hub fell less than in many other cities, where the trend for inner counties to hollow out, just as inner cities did, has taken hold, and its strength as a regional job hub continues with 69% of jobs in the MSA located in Jefferson County.
Perhaps the most ominous revelations in the 2010 Census are depicted in the composite picture that emerges from the accompanying maps: increasing rates of poverty spreading into many quarters of the community and dramatic increases in vacant and abandoned homes.
Since 1960, the percentage of vacant houses in Louisville Metro remained stable between 5% and 6% -- but jumped to 10% during the last half of the decade, as the national housing and foreclosure crisis hit. The map charting changes in population over the decade shows that eastern suburbs swelled, while areas west of I-65 and older areas of the city lost residents and economic ground.
Those areas of distress now extend into well-established neighborhoods and represent a red flag for an important component of Louisville’s distinctive quality of place: its diverse range of strong neighborhoods.
The maps also reveal notable exceptions. The revitalized housing market in the Park DuValle neighborhood and other areas of western Louisville stands out -- demonstrating that investments in established neighborhoods can pay off.
Louisville’s physical infrastructure also represents a worsening challenge, with traffic congestion greater than in several of its peer cities and a recent evaluation dubbing more than half of its roadways in need of improvement.
The 2010 Census also confirmed the increasing diversity of Louisville. Minority groups fueled population growth, and the census tracks that showed the largest increases among African-American residents were in the far eastern suburbs.
Health indicators showed improvement over the decade, although Louisville’s overall rates of obesity, diabetes and smoking exceed national averages. Key environmental indicators on air quality are trending in the right direction but fluctuated over the decade.