Rankings and Recognition

2023

Travel + Leisure Magazine - No. 4 Most Beautiful and Affordable Place to Live in the U.S.

Livability - A Best Place to Live in the U.S. in 2023

E2 - Kentucky ranked second fastest growing clean energy sector in the U.S.

Travel + Leisure Magazine - No. 9 Foodie City in the U.S.

Site Selection Magazine - Louisville Metro's Department of Economic Development recognized as a 'Top Economic Development Group' for the ninth year in a row

Site Selection Magazine - A Top 5 U.S. Metro for Economic Development

Business Facilities Magazine - A Top Logistics Hub for 2023

Realtor.com - No. 3 Top Housing Market of 2023

Gusto Inc. - No. 4 city in the U.S. for job growth in 2022

Realtor.com - No. 9 Most Pet-Friendly City in America

Realestatewitch.com - No. 6 Best Beer Cities in the U.S.

PrivacyJournal.net - 28th-best U.S. city for gamers

2022

Site Selection Magazine - Louisville Metro's Department of Economic Development recognized as a 'Top Economic Development Group' for the eighth year in a row

Human Rights Campaign - Perfect score of 100 on HRC’s Municipal Equality Index for eight years in a row!

Site Selection Magazine - No. 1 in the Ohio River Corridor for economic development

Roadbook - One of the best U.S. cities for remote working

CBRE - a "Next 25" Tech Talent Market for the fourth year in a row

LinkedIn - No. 3 out of all U.S. metros in Q1 2022 for worker confidence

WalletHub - one of the "Best Large Cities to Start a Business"

U.S. News & World Report - No. 14 on list of best cities for new college grads

EPA - A top mid-sized cities for ENERGY STAR certified buildings

LendingTree - second most popular metro for Gen Z homebuyers

Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Regional Price Parity Index - 11th most affordable large metro areas in the nation 

Urban Reform Institute - one of the top 10 most affordable housing markets

ApartmentAdvisor - No. 1 "Best Foodie Cities for Renters"

Mandoe - overall best city for coffee in the U.S.

USA Today - Waterfront Park named in Top 5 Riverwalks on the U.S. 

WalletHub - among "Best Large Cities to Live in"

2021

Louisville Forward recognized as a 'Top Economic Development Group' by Site Selection magazine for the SEVENTH year in a row

Louisville ranked in top 10 most tech-ready cities and top 10 affordable cities for living and working in digital

Perfect score of 100 on HRC’s Municipal Equality Index – SEVEN years in a row!

SmartAsset named Louisville to its top 10 list of best cities for new college graduates

Louisville was among the top 15 large metros with the most growth in high-paying, six-figure jobs

Louisville ranked the 15th best city for soccer by WalletHub

Travel + Leisure listed Louisville on as one of The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2022

WalletHub listed Louisville among its top 30 "Best Foodie Cities in America"

Louisville was named among the most dog-friendly cities in America by SmartAsset

CBRE listed Louisville as a "Next 25" Tech Talent market for three years in a row

Louisville ranked among the most affordable cities in the U.S. for solo renters by SmartAsset

Singulart ranked Louisville the second most creative city in America

2020

Louisville Forward recognized as a 'Top Economic Development Group' by Site Selection magazine for the SIXTH year in a row

Site Selection magazine ranked Louisville No. 1 in the Ohio River Corridor for economic development

CBRE ranked Louisville among "Next 25" in Tech Talent markets

Redfin data shows Louisville has grown the most in popularity for migrants

Louisville among top 10 best U.S. cities for remote workers

CNBC named Louisville one of the top 10 cities with the happiest employees in the U.S.

Louisville named one of U.S. News and World Reports' 'Best Places to Live in the U.S.'

SmartAsset ranked Louisville among the top 25 U.S. cities with 'Best Work-Life Balance'

Louisville is one of the top 50 cities for Millennial homeownership

Glassdoor again ranked Louisville one of the 'Best Cities for Jobs'

Louisville Muhammad Ali Airport ranked 4th busiest cargo hub in the world

Louisville ranked No. 18 on the list of 'Most Socially Conscious Cities in the U.S.' by The Ascent

SmartAsset listed Louisville among the Top 20 best cities for new college grads

Louisville named among Top 25 for newly remote workers

SmartAsset listed Louisville on its list of 33 'Best Places for Outdoor Enthusiasts to Live and Work'

2019

Forbes recognized Louisville and Kentucky as 'cultural hub' for the country

fDi Intelligence ranked Louisville the fifth most business friendly large American city of the future

Urban Land Institute and PwC report recognized Louisville as one of the top 40 'U.S. markets to watch' for overall real estate prospects

Louisville Forward recognized as a 'Top Economic Development Group' by Site Selection magazine for the FIFTH year in a row

SmartAsset named Louisville one of the 'Top 10 Places for New Businesses'

TripAdvisor ranked Louisville on its list of 'Top Cities to Visit in 2019'

CBRE named Louisville an 'up-and-coming tech talent market'

Louisville named a 'Top Metro' in the South Central and East North Central regions by Site Selection magazine

Livability ranked Louisville one of  '7 Best Cities for First-Time Homebuyers' and 28th on its 'Top 100 Best Places to Live'

LendingTree named Louisville No. 2 on its list of 'Metro Areas with the Most Profitable Businesses'

Southern Living named Louisville one of the 'The South’s Best Food Cities 2019'

SmartAsset named Louisville No. 22 on its list of 'Best Cities for Young Professionals'

2018

CBS News named Louisville to its 2018 list of 'Top Cities for Job Hunters'

Glassdoor ranked Louisville a 'Best City for Jobs'

Perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

Jetsetter named Louisville to its list of 'Top 5 Hip Cities'

Louisville Forward recognized as a 'Top Economic Development Group' by Site Selection magazine

Louisville named "Co-Major Market of the Year" -- tying with Nashville, TN -- by Southern Business & Development 

Forbes named Louisville a 'Top 10 City where Manufacturing is Thriving'

SmartAsset named Louisville a 'Top City for New College Grads'

Louisville recognized as 'Best in Class' among cities using data

EPA ranked Louisville a 'Top Midsize City' for most Energy Star certified buildings

Governing magazine recognized Louisville as the 'Top Performer' in its Equipt to Innovate Report 

SmartAsset ranked Louisville a 'Top City' for women in technology

National Geographic named Louisville to its list of 'Best Small Cities in the U.S.'

VinePair ranked Louisville in its list of the 'World's Top 10 Beer Destinations for 2018'

Lonely Planet said Kentucky is a 'Top 10 Destination' to visit in 2018

Forbes said Louisville is a top 13 city for affordable living

Southern Living ranked Louisville on its list of '15 Incredible Solo Vacations to Take in the South'

SmartAsset ranked Louisville in its 'Top 15 cities Where Millennials are Moving'

2017

Forbes ranked Louisville the No. 1 city for manufacturing in the U.S.

Louisville Forward named a Top Economic Development Group for 2016 by Site Selection magazine

SmartAsset ranked Louisville among the top 10 U.S. cities with lowest cost startup costs

Lumina Foundation designated Louisville as a 'Talent Hub'

Thumbtack ranked Louisville a Top 10 City for Small Business Friendliness

Perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, 2015, 2016 and 2017

WalletHub named Louisville among the top 10 'Best-Run Cities' in 2017 -- back-to-back ranking!

Glassdoor ranked Louisville as a 'Top 10 Best City for Jobs'

NerdWallet ranked Louisville in its list of Top 20 Best Cities for Quality of Life

CNN named Louisville to it's list of 15 Charming Cities in the South

Realtor.com named Louisville's 40217 zip code as one of the Hottest Hipster Markets in the U.S. 

Redlining Louisville map selected as Harvard's first-ever Map of the Month

Louisville ranked a top 5 'Best Theatre City' by Paste

Travel + Leisure named Louisville one of America's Favorite Places

Louisville designated SolSmart Gold for solar energy development 

Kentucky ranked in Top States by Site Selection magazine

Louisville ranked as a Top Metro for the South Central and East North Central regions by Site Selection magazine

Named a Top 10 Best City for Job Seekers by ZipRecruiter

2016

Recognized by Site Selection magazine as a Top 10 Metro and a Top Economic Development Organization for 2014 and 2015

Named a Top 50 'Global Future-Ready Economy' by DELL

Louisville included in Huffington Post's list of 'Five Soccer Cities Making America Great Again'

Louisville ranked as one of Wallet Hub's 2016 'Best-Run Cities'

Ranked #18 on Glassdoor's 'Best Cities for Jobs' for 2016

Louisville named as a 'Top Destination on the Rise' by Trip Advisor

Back-to-Back perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, 2015 and 2016

Named a top LGBT travel destination by Orbitz Travel

TIME magazine recognized Louisville as one of '240 Reasons to Celebrate America Right Now'

Conde Nast named Louisville to its list of '18 Underated Cities in America'

Forbes recognized Louisville as 'One of Five Surprising People, Places and Things to Watch'

Travel+Leisure named Louisville one of the 'Friendliest Cities in America'