Contemplating a job change that will put me in Louisville. Don't know the area real well, was wondering what's good/bad about it?

Housing prices, good areas, cost of living, schools, taxes, political climate, etc.

Any help is appreciated.

I was born in Wisconsin, I lived in Detroit, spent many years in Bowling Green, KY an have spent the last 8 in Louisville, KY and Love it.  

Plenty of things to do downtown, plus there are plenty gun shows, car shows and attractions like Derby, AAA Bats baseball and Six Flags.  You are also 1.5 hours from Indy and Cincy.  Close to Knob Creek and the Machine Gun Shoot two times a year.  Plenty of places to hunt within an hour or two.  

As far as Housing you can get more bang for your buck in Bullitt County, but schools are better in Oldham and Jefferson County in my opinion.  For higher ed you have U of L, or go an hour or so away to U of K, WKU or Eastern, KY.  As long as you stay out of some parts of the West End Crime is not much of an issue.

Gas today in Bullitt County is $2.09 and in Jefferson County saw it for $2.25 - $2.29.

Taxes are probably higher in Oldham County, then Jefferson, then Bullitt.  Great place to live in my opinion.  You can IM me on who you are talking to company wise and I can give you my $.02 if I know them.  I use to be a head hunter several years ago, so I still have a few contacts...

Mike

We have more jobs then people to fill them. Crime is low except in certain parts of town. You can get a nice 3 BR house in a nice neighborhood for under 90k.

    The west end is pretty crimer ridden, the south end can be bad, based on where you live. I live in the south end and only have a couple of people in the neighborhood that are not to my liking.


Living is cheap, 35 plus a year and you'll be set.

schools are as good as the parents, teachers will do their best if you give a crap about your kids.

taxes are well taxes.


Politics, well I vote based on the second amendment, other then that I don't really pay attention.

Housing seems cheap, sales taxes are 6% on everything except food and medicine. Income tax at 5%. University of Louseyville downtown, along with several business and medical schools.
Whats the profession you are looking at? Sometimes, you get to work in the 'burbs. Recommend a short subscription to the Courier Journal and the Lexinton Herald. Need the Lexington paper to find out what happens in Louseville in relation to race, crime and other assorted problems and the CJ to find out what the home prices are and job market.  Maybe research poor schools to make sure you kids don't end up there.
Work area has a lot to do with decision.  I worked down town and now at dark your white ass best be off the streets and out of the parking garage.
Probably no worse than Detroit as I had a small TDY up there that made Louseyville look good.
My major gripe is if you are a city resident and work in Jefferson county, you have the honor of paying 2.45% of your wages for working there, 1.45% if you live in another county.  
My prediction with the proposed 350 million dollar arena in the works, the metro government will be looking to squeeze every penny from the worker bees they can.
Metro govt now with Mayor for life "Abbie".  County is pretty much dem.
Commute if you can but be prepared for traffic.  I live in Bullitt and its a 30 minute commute mornings and ?????evenings.  Most of the nuts around here still have not figured out how to drive on ice and snow.
Thank God I got out in 04.  Still have to drive through but at least now I can pack and not worry about being a unarmed target as I had to working downtown and passing through metal detectors every day.

What happened?? Don't we have any Louisville/Jefferson County residents to have something good to say about the town???

I used to work in the West End, and if you can't pack, don't go.  I recently moved jobs to the East end, it's a LOT nicer.  Traffic is a bitch, the road designers just didn't plan for the amount of traffic we have.  People are usually friendly and helpful, I've lived in NC, but KY is always going to be home!

Michael

Quoted: I used to work in the West End, and if you can't pack, don't go.  I recently moved jobs to the East end, it's a LOT nicer.  Traffic is a bitch, the road designers just didn't plan for the amount of traffic we have.  People are usually friendly and helpful, I've lived in NC, but KY is always going to be home! Michael

My job would be on the far East side, fwiw.

Far east is by far the best side of town.  All of the nice homes and you don't have to deal with the traffic in downtown or Spagetti Junction unless you are coming from Indiana or downtown.  The homes on that side of town may be a little higher than you would want to pay.
St Mathews is nice OLD area with high taxes and additional taxes on income.  
Beware of any area that does not have sewers yet!  As they are built into a area, the homeowners are assessed $10-12,000 maybe even more and required to hook on.  You have no choice, they put a lien on the house.  One thing to be sure and ask about.
Here is a link to Multiple listing service.  Best eastern areas are #3, 8 & 9 as this MLS IDs.  1 and 4 are not the most desirable to live in or near.
idxpro.cisdata.net/AR197253/index.html

Here is a link to the courier journal.  Local rag that is anti gun and most PC liberal.
www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

Here is the Lexington paper-65 miles from Louisville and has better Lou news than Courier and also has classifieds on line.  Just guessing I would say the housing market is the same in both markets and Louisville may have the edge for now in jobs.
www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/

Here is a link to a city street map that may help you find where you will be working and where the various areas are.

www.hellolouisville.com/Maps.Cfm

Come on some of you Lou residents.  Help this new guy out and don't let him make some of the mistakes you did or fill him in on some you avoided.

I really appreciate all the answers and help so far, it's been a great benefit. I'm not 100% on the job, I still have to interview and think some things over before making the leap, but it's nice to know that KY is a friendly state. I'm coming down next week to interview and I'll have a look around the city.

My area and Louisville sound very similar, other than Ohio being slightly more libtarded. I love where I am, but I may be forced to take a job out of state and I'd much prefer KY to Jersey or California, or some other communist country.

Look into oldham co. just a little east of louisville good schools!

Info on Lousyville eh? Lots of good food. Mostly really nice people. Good goings on down at the Center for the Arts. Mostly reasonable housing. Prices in the East end are pretty stupid. I don't have kids so I couldn't tell you about schools. Kentucky is very gun friendly. We're the only state to ever recieve an F- from the Brady Bunch. We have state preemption so localities can't pass gun laws more strict than the state's. Taxes are reasonable. Lots of History to investigate if that's your hobby. Several state parks within a couple hours drive if you like camping. Mammoth Cave is an hour away and a good way to spend a weekend or 2 a year. Lexington is an hour away so you can catch a UK basketball game. Louisville does have a school but nobody like to go see them play basketball. They do have a decent football program, but one would expect the same from a prison as well. Oh, and since you're gonna be the new guy, you have to supply ammo at the next ARFCOM shoot.

Look across the river to Indiana for housing.  Property is cheaper, schools are as good if not better, property taxes are lower, and most of us know how to tie our shoes.

hay i can tye mi shoes!

Quoted: Look across the river to Indiana for housing.  Property is cheaper, schools are as good if not better, property taxes are lower, and most of us know how to tie our shoes.

Bah! Indiana is only good for keeping Lake Michigan out of our front yards.

Quoted: Quoted: Look across the river to Indiana for housing.  Property is cheaper, schools are as good if not better, property taxes are lower, and most of us know how to tie our shoes. Bah! Indiana is only good for keeping Lake Michigan out of our front yards.

Hey, be easy on the Hoosiers they contribute plenty to American culture. Someone has to make trailers.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Look across the river to Indiana for housing.  Property is cheaper, schools are as good if not better, property taxes are lower, and most of us know how to tie our shoes. Bah! Indiana is only good for keeping Lake Michigan out of our front yards. Hey, be easy on the Hoosiers they contribute plenty to American culture. Someone has to make trailers.

Sure, that's why we need more bridges! The more trailers we can haul across the river, the more we can produce  

Gotta stop noew or this could really turn into a nasty mudslining contest.  It's a great city to work in but I hate the commute from IN everyday.  

Quoted: Look across the river to Indiana for housing.  Property is cheaper, schools are as good if not better, property taxes are lower, and most of us know how to tie our shoes.

The schools are not better.  Nice try though.

.....


Edited By Stump:   Alrighty, no need to stir the pot.  This isn't an IN vs. KY thread.  Let's stay on track and help swignset out.