Louisville market pulse
Real public data for Louisville's ZIP codes, updated as the agencies publish.
Metro prices
+2.4%
in 1 year · Louisville metro · 2025 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2025 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q2 | 416.7 | — |
| 2025 Q3 | 411.1 | -1.3% |
| 2025 Q4 | 413.2 | -0.8% |
| 2026 Q1 | 418.1 | +0.3% |
| 2026 Q2 | 426.9 | +2.4% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+34%
in 5 years · Louisville metro · 2021 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2021 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Q2 | 318.2 | — |
| 2021 Q3 | 329.1 | +3.4% |
| 2021 Q4 | 333.7 | +4.9% |
| 2022 Q1 | 343.8 | +8.0% |
| 2022 Q2 | 357.1 | +12% |
| 2022 Q3 | 354.7 | +11% |
| 2022 Q4 | 359.6 | +13% |
| 2023 Q1 | 358.9 | +13% |
| 2023 Q2 | 371.7 | +17% |
| 2023 Q3 | 378.2 | +19% |
| 2023 Q4 | 375.1 | +18% |
| 2024 Q1 | 383.6 | +21% |
| 2024 Q2 | 392.0 | +23% |
| 2024 Q3 | 402.7 | +27% |
| 2024 Q4 | 404.2 | +27% |
| 2025 Q1 | 403.7 | +27% |
| 2025 Q2 | 416.7 | +31% |
| 2025 Q3 | 411.1 | +29% |
| 2025 Q4 | 413.2 | +30% |
| 2026 Q1 | 418.1 | +31% |
| 2026 Q2 | 426.9 | +34% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+90%
in 10 years · Louisville metro · 2016 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2016 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Q2 | 224.1 | — |
| 2016 Q3 | 228.1 | +1.8% |
| 2016 Q4 | 226.8 | +1.2% |
| 2017 Q1 | 230.6 | +2.9% |
| 2017 Q2 | 239.8 | +7.0% |
| 2017 Q3 | 241.4 | +7.7% |
| 2017 Q4 | 242.4 | +8.2% |
| 2018 Q1 | 245.5 | +9.5% |
| 2018 Q2 | 249.8 | +11% |
| 2018 Q3 | 252.9 | +13% |
| 2018 Q4 | 255.9 | +14% |
| 2019 Q1 | 253.7 | +13% |
| 2019 Q2 | 262.6 | +17% |
| 2019 Q3 | 266.6 | +19% |
| 2019 Q4 | 267.8 | +20% |
| 2020 Q1 | 270.9 | +21% |
| 2020 Q2 | 279.1 | +25% |
| 2020 Q3 | 285.9 | +28% |
| 2020 Q4 | 296.7 | +32% |
| 2021 Q1 | 301.0 | +34% |
| 2021 Q2 | 318.2 | +42% |
| 2021 Q3 | 329.1 | +47% |
| 2021 Q4 | 333.7 | +49% |
| 2022 Q1 | 343.8 | +53% |
| 2022 Q2 | 357.1 | +59% |
| 2022 Q3 | 354.7 | +58% |
| 2022 Q4 | 359.6 | +60% |
| 2023 Q1 | 358.9 | +60% |
| 2023 Q2 | 371.7 | +66% |
| 2023 Q3 | 378.2 | +69% |
| 2023 Q4 | 375.1 | +67% |
| 2024 Q1 | 383.6 | +71% |
| 2024 Q2 | 392.0 | +75% |
| 2024 Q3 | 402.7 | +80% |
| 2024 Q4 | 404.2 | +80% |
| 2025 Q1 | 403.7 | +80% |
| 2025 Q2 | 416.7 | +86% |
| 2025 Q3 | 411.1 | +83% |
| 2025 Q4 | 413.2 | +84% |
| 2026 Q1 | 418.1 | +87% |
| 2026 Q2 | 426.9 | +90% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
ZIP by ZIP
+83%
The median ZIP's house price index, 2015–2025. 29 ZIPs, from +59% to +149%.
One-year ZIP changes are noisy: of last year's top-3 ZIPs in our 50 cities, 1 in 15 was top 3 again. Past change, not a forecast.
About these figures
FHFA's experimental ZIP house price index: houses with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans, from sales and refinance appraisals. Condos, co-ops and multi-unit buildings aren't in it. 29 of Louisville's 33 ZIPs have an index; FHFA publishes one only where enough sales exist. A ZIP whose index stops before the latest year shows the year it ends instead of changes. Each index has its own base, so compare a ZIP's changes, not its level.
Rent or buy here
EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $1,574 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$288
a month more to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 40291
- Own: 3-bedroom sample house, $294,900Sample: fictional home, for the demo.
- EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $1,574 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$1,998 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
- Rent: HUD fair market rent, 3 bedrooms
- $1,710 a monthHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2027: a 40th-percentile rent for a standard home, utilities included. Not an asking rent.
Lending
6.625%
Median rate, 30-year fixed conventional · 4,501 loans · 2025
2025 home-purchase loans (first liens) on owner-occupied 1–4 unit homes in Louisville's census tracts: 7,076 loans. Loans that closed, not offers: a rate depends on your credit, down payment, points and the day you lock it.
- Middle half of rates
- 6.375% to 6.99%
- Loan costs at closing
- $4,159 medianMiddle half $3,328 to $5,663: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 5,072 loans
- Loan limits, 2026
- $832,750 conformingAbove it, a jumbo loan with its own rates and rules; FHA limit $541,287 (one-unit home, Jefferson County). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
- Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
- 95% of the value (median)Middle half 80% to 97%. 70.7% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 59.1% more than 90%, 44.4% more than 95%. HMDA's combined loan-to-value counts every loan on the home (second loans, down-payment-assistance loans, financed FHA or VA fees) against the value the lender used, so it doesn't show the cash buyers put down · 6,827 loans
- Loan types
- Conventional 74.1% · FHA 20.5%VA 5.4% · USDA 0%
- Discount points
- 54.3% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $1,448. Points buy a lower rate.
For comparison: 7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.
Flood and insurance
$1,572 a year
Median of 29 Louisville ZIPs' average homeowners premiums, 2022. Premiums have risen since; get quotes for your address.
- Federal flood insurance
- 3,286 policies in force · 2,850 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 33 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
- Policies insurers didn't renew
- 0.8% in the median ZIPU.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, 2022.
Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate policy. Source: FEMA FloodSmart: What is my flood risk?, retrieved 2026-10-09 (opens in a new tab) Check an address on FEMA's flood map (opens in a new tab)
County hazard ratings (FEMA)
Natural hazards, compared with other U.S. counties
- Jefferson County, KY: expected yearly losses rated very high for tornado; expected yearly losses rated relatively high for inland flooding, winter weather.
Other ratings for Jefferson County, KY
- EarthquakeRelatively Moderate
- WildfireVery Low
- HurricaneVery Low
- Heat waveRelatively Moderate
- HailRelatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county (NRI December 2025): expected annual losses to buildings, people and agriculture; FEMA's social-vulnerability adjustments aren't included. This describes each county, not one home. Check an address on FEMA's flood map; in a high-risk flood zone, a federally backed loan requires flood insurance.
What's new in Louisville
Rail openings, zoning changes and big projects from primary sources, newest first. News, not a price forecast.
- Project
Waterfront Park’s PlayPort opens
The PlayPort grand opening adds a public amenity in the westward Phase IV expansion. This does not mean every remaining Phase IV component was complete that day.
Waterfront Development Corporation, PlayPort grand opening (opens in a new tab) - Project
Airport security-checkpoint expansion begins
The airport authority starts phased work on the terminal screening area. This is a construction milestone, not a promise of completion or shorter travel times.
Louisville Regional Airport Authority, checkpoint expansion starts (opens in a new tab)
Rules in Kentucky
From state law, standard contract forms and local custom. Research, not legal advice.
- ClosingRule
- A title company runs the closing and holds the money.
- Seller's disclosureRule
- KREC Seller's Disclosure of Property Condition, Form402
- Closing taxesRule
- Kentucky real estate transfer tax: 0.1% of the price · seller pays
How buying works in Kentucky
- Who runs the closing
- A title company runs the closing and holds the money. Typical time from contract to keys: about 35 days.
- The contract
- Your signed offer becomes a binding contract once the seller accepts it.
Details
Greater Louisville Association of REALTORS residential sales contract / locally approved form
- Buyer agreement
- Kentucky written buyer brokerage agreement and agency disclosure, signed before touring.
Details
Homiy's prototype requires a written agreement before a represented tour. NAR's rule binds participating MLS brokers; do not describe it as a universal state law. Compensation is negotiable and total brokerage pay cannot exceed the agreement.
Source: NAR: written buyer agreements before touring (MLS participation rule, not a universal state statute) (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Inspection
- About 10 days for inspections.
Details
Inspection and financing protections must be written into the accepted contract. 10 calendar days is a negotiable sample planning period, not a statutory deadline.
- Earnest money
- 1–3% of the price, due within 3 days, held by: Named broker or title/attorney escrow.
Details
Sample only: delivery within 3 calendar days and 1–3% earnest money; the signed contract controls. Buyer delivery is distinct from the holder's statutory deposit deadline.
- Seller's disclosure
- KREC Seller's Disclosure of Property Condition, Form402
Details
KRS324.360 applies to single-family sales involving a compensated licensee. Seller completes at listing; licensee supplies to prospective buyer within 72 hours of receiving the signed written offer. This is a DELIVERY deadline, not a three-day right to rescind. Exempt/unrepresented sales and fraud duties require separate review.
Source: Kentucky KRS §324.360: seller disclosure (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Loan and appraisal
- Loan contingency: 21 days (set in the contract).
Details
21-day financing period and the typical closing time are sample planning assumptions, not measured averages or legal rights. Financing and appraisal protection require the signed form/addenda; an appraisal shortfall is not automatically protected.
- Title insurance
- The buyer customarily pays for the owner's policy.
Details
Payer is a negotiable local custom, not a mandatory charge; obtain a title quote and follow the signed allocation. Filed insurer/rating-bureau rates are not a state-promulgated price. Title companies may handle escrow; legal drafting/advice still requires authorized counsel, not a blanket attorney-attendance requirement.
- Property tax for a new owner
- Your property tax follows the county's assessed market value. About 1.3% of the price a year is our planning figure for Louisville; your bill can differ.
Details
Use the assessor's current taxable value, assessment ratio and parcel tax district. Price is only a planning proxy; exemptions, revaluations, credits and special assessments are not inherited automatically.
2025 Jefferson PVA Urban Service District illustration: state0.106 + Metro0.118 + USD0.319 + school0.717 =1.26 per$100 assessed value. Outside USD, small cities/fire districts differ; downtown LDMD surcharge excluded. No age/disability exemption assumed; assessor market value may differ from price. HOA range and lender-title percentage are SAMPLE inputs.
- Agent credits to the buyer
- Kentucky allows an agent to credit part of their pay to the buyer, with the lender's approval.
Details
Kentucky's former rebate ban was removed following the DOJ consent decree. Disclosed transaction-party rebates only, subject to agreement/lender approval; no fee for unlicensed brokerage. Historical primary authority, current operation still needs counsel review.
Source: US DOJ: Kentucky commission rebate ban settlement (2005-07-13 consent decree announcement; no current cash ban identified)
Closing taxes
| Tax | Customarily paid by | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky real estate transfer tax | Seller | 0.1% of the priceKentucky KRS §142.050: real estate transfer tax |
Sources (7)
- Kentucky KRS §324.360: seller disclosure · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- US DOJ: Kentucky commission rebate ban settlement · 2005-07-13 consent decree announcement; no current cash ban identified (opens in a new tab)
- Kentucky KRS §142.050: real estate transfer tax · 2025 statutory text mirror (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- Jefferson County PVA:2025 final tax-rate schedule · 2025 final;2025-10-30 (opens in a new tab)
Programs and deadlines
Official pages for Louisville, the same for every buyer. Each program decides who qualifies.
- Down-payment help
- KHC Down Payment Assistance (opens in a new tab) (Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC))Up to $12,500 toward the down payment and closing costs, as a second loan repaid over 15 years, with a KHC first mortgage.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.Kentucky's housing finance agency runs it; the program decides who qualifies and for how much.
- Down-payment help in Louisville
- Down Payment Assistance Program (opens in a new tab) (Louisville Metro Government)A partially forgivable loan of up to $30,000 (20% of the loan-to-value) for buyers who don't currently own a home.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- Homestead exemption
- Homestead Exemption (opens in a new tab) (Kentucky Department of Revenue)For homeowners at least 65 or classified as totally disabled; apply with the property valuation administrator (PVA) of the county.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- If you disagree with your assessment
- Online Conference, Documentation, and Appeals (opens in a new tab) (Jefferson County Property Valuation Administrator (PVA))Start with a conference with the PVA (online during the reassessment period); you can then appeal through the Jefferson County Clerk by the deadline on your conference results.When: 2026 online conferences ran April 24–May 18Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- After you buy: alerts on your deed
- ClerkAlert (opens in a new tab) (Jefferson County Clerk)A free sign-up that alerts you any time a document is recorded under your name or business name.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
Sample homes in Louisville, each with its estimated monthly cost and the things to check. Found one somewhere else? Check it here.
Sources (27)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2000–2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted, quarterly: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (metro area 31140) · 2000 Q1–2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA), with 90% margins of error: population, median household income, median home value, median gross rent, median real estate taxes paid, median monthly owner costs with a mortgage, owner-occupied share and units, owner homes in buildings with 5+ units, median year built · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA): population and its margin of error, for the 5-year change and its significance test · ACS 2015–2019 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file, 2025 Gazetteer and cartographic boundaries (city ZIPs, centers, bounds) · 2020 ZCTAs; 2025 place boundaries (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025 (metropolitan and micropolitan areas) · July 2020 → July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: new privately-owned housing units authorized, by CBSA · Sep 2025–Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county · NRI December 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Area Fair Market Rents by ZIP code, FY2027 · FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Policies, version 3 (policies in force). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · in force Jun 30, 2026; data refreshed 2026-07-27; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Claims, version 3 (claims since 2000). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · data refreshed 2026-08-04; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Treasury, Federal Insurance Office: Analyses of U.S. Homeowners Insurance Markets, 2018–2022, Supporting Underlying Metrics by ZIP code (premiums per policy, nonrenewal rate) · 2018–2022 (published January 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (metro area 31140) · 2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, not seasonally adjusted: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN (metro area 31140), calendar-year averages of the quarterly index · 2020–2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU21311400000000001) · Aug 2026 (preliminary) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the city of Louisville, KY (Census place 2148006): median home value, median household income, median gross rent, with 90% margins of error · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data: 2025 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset (data as of June 1, 2026), via the CFPB HMDA Data Browser; Homiy's calculations · 2025 loans; retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA forward mortgage limits, one-unit limit for Jefferson County, KY · CY2026 (Mortgagee Letter 2025-23) (opens in a new tab)
- Kentucky KRS §324.360: seller disclosure · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- US DOJ: Kentucky commission rebate ban settlement · 2005-07-13 consent decree announcement; no current cash ban identified (opens in a new tab)
- Kentucky KRS §142.050: real estate transfer tax · 2025 statutory text mirror (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- Jefferson County PVA:2025 final tax-rate schedule · 2025 final;2025-10-30 (opens in a new tab)
- Freddie Mac average (Primary Mortgage Market Survey) · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)