Prospect, Kentucky
City
Named forthe local railroad station
CountryUnited States
StateKentucky
CountiesJefferson, Oldham
Incorporated1974
Unit prefImperial
Area total3.90 sq mi
Area land3.83 sq mi
Area water0.07 sq mi
Population as of2020
Population total4592
Population density1198.96 sq mi
Time zoneEastern (EST) (UTC-5)
Time zone (DST)EDT (UTC-4)
Elevation495 ft
Coordinates38°20′49″N 85°36′37″W
ZIP code40059
Area code502
FIPS code21-63264
GNIS feature ID2404575[1]
Websiteprospectky.us
Pop est as of2024
Population est4696
Area total10.11 km²
Area land9.92 km²
Area water0.19 km²
Population density462.90 km²

Prospect is a home rule-class city[2] in Jefferson and Oldham counties in the U.S. state of Kentucky. The Jefferson County portion is a part of the Louisville Metro government. The population was 4,592 as of the 2020 census, down from 4,698 at the time of the 2010 census.[3] It is one of the wealthiest communities in Kentucky.[4]

History

See also: History of Louisville, Kentucky

The area was first known as "Sand Hill" when it was settled by farmers in the late 18th century. The present community grew up around the "Prospect" railroad station erected by the Louisville, Harrods Creek and Westport Railway c. 1872. The name referred either to the view from the top of the hill or the expected completion of the line (which – owing to the Long Depression – never did reach Westport and collapsed into bankruptcy in 1879). When the post office was established in 1886, the local postmaster named it "Wilhoyte" in his own honor, but the community corrected this within the month.[5]

Although a few luxury residences existed in the area from the late 19th century and the Louisville Railway Company offered hourly electrified-rail trolleys along the former LHC&W line after 1904,[6] it was largely agricultural until the mid-1960s when large-scale high-end subdivisions were built in the area, most notably the Estates of Hunting Creek, which included a golf course. The newest large-scale high-end development, covering almost 600-acres, is Norton Commons.[7]

Prospect incorporated as a city in 1974.

An EF2 tornado struck the town on April 2, 2024, causing major damage.[8]

Geography

Prospect is located in northeastern Jefferson County. A small portion of the city extends north into Oldham County. The city is bordered by the Ohio River to the northwest, by U.S. Route 42 to the southwest, and by Harrods Creek, a tributary of the Ohio, to the south. US-42 is the primary transportation artery running through the area, leading southwest 12 miles (19 km) to downtown Louisville and northeast 29 miles (47 km) to Bedford. According to the United States Census Bureau, Prospect has a total area of 3.9 sq mi (10.1 square kilometres), of which 3.8 sq mi (9.9 square kilometres) are land and 0.1 sq mi (0.2 square kilometres), or 1.85%, are water.[3]

The postal address of "Prospect" (ZIP Code 40059) covers an area far beyond the city limits, extending east as far as the Norton Commons development in the Worthington community.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Prospect had a population of 4,592. The median age was 53.1 years. 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 30.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.7 males age 18 and over.[9][10]

99.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.1% lived in rural areas.[11]

There were 1,898 households in Prospect, of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 67.6% were married-couple households, 10.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 18.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[9]

There were 1,983 housing units, of which 4.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.0%.[9]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[10]
RaceNumberPercent
White3,94285.8%
Black or African American1653.6%
American Indian and Alaska Native70.2%
Asian1934.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander00.0%
Some other race491.1%
Two or more races2365.1%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)1453.2%

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,[12] there were 4,657 people, 1,732 households, and 1,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,158.4 inhabitants per square mile (447.3 /km2). There were 1,847 housing units at an average density of 459.4 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 92.91% White, 3.39% African American, 0.26% Native American, 2.06% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.

There were 1,732 households, out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.3% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 35.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $111,170, and the median income for a family was $124,131. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $42,159 for females. The per capita income for the city was $51,469. 1.5% of the population and 0.8% of families were below the poverty line.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ "Summary and Reference Guide to House Bill 331 City Classification Reform". Kentucky League of Cities. Archived March 4, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  3. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Prospect city, Kentucky". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  4. ^ "Richest Cities in Kentucky (2025)". December 17, 2024. Archived June 22, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  5. ^ Rennick, Robert. Kentucky Place Names, p. 244. University Press of Kentucky (Lexington), 1987. Accessed August 1, 2013.
  6. ^ Castner, Charles B. (2001). "Louisville, Harrods Creek, & Westport Railway". The Encyclopedia of Louisville. Kleber, John E. (ed.). Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. p. 551. ISBN 0-8131-2100-0. OCLC 247857447. Archived March 13, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  7. ^ "Archpedia; Norton Commons". July 17, 2018. Archived May 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
  8. ^ "April 2, 2024 Severe Weather Event". www.weather.gov. National Weather Service Louisville KY. Archived May 12, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  9. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  10. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  11. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Archived July 9, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ^ "Bob Atcher". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived September 7, 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  14. ^ "Ray Burse". FBref. Archived April 27, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  15. ^ "Sarah Gorham". National Endowment for the Arts. Archived February 21, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  16. ^ Rees, Jennie (August 20, 2014). "Majestic Harbor hitting his stride at age 6". Courier Journal. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  17. ^ "Justin Powell". Basketball Reference. Archived January 19, 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  18. ^ "Naomi Wallace". American Repertory Theater. Archived October 7, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 18, 2025.

Further reading