Prospect, Kentucky facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Prospect, Kentucky
City
Location of Prospect in Jefferson County, Kentucky
Prospect, Kentucky Location in Kentucky Show map of Kentucky Prospect, Kentucky Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Kentucky
Counties	Jefferson, Oldham
Incorporated	1974
Named for	the local railroad station
Area
• Total	3.90 sq mi (10.11 km2)
• Land	3.83 sq mi (9.92 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2)
Elevation	495 ft (151 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,592
• Estimate  (2022)	4,565
• Density	1,198.96/sq mi (462.90/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	40059
Area code(s)	502
FIPS code	21-63264
GNIS feature ID	2404575

Prospect is a city in Kentucky, located in both Jefferson and Oldham counties. It is known as a "home rule-class city," which means it has the power to manage its own local government. The part of Prospect in Jefferson County is connected to the Louisville Metro government.

In 2020, about 4,592 people lived in Prospect. This number was a little lower than in 2010. Prospect is one of the richest communities in Kentucky.

History of Prospect, Kentucky

The area where Prospect now stands was first called "Sand Hill." Farmers settled here in the late 1700s. The city of Prospect grew around a train station built in 1872. This station was part of the Louisville, Harrods Creek and Westport Railway.

The name "Prospect" likely came from the nice view from the top of the hill. It could also have meant the hope of finishing the railway line. However, the railway never reached its full planned length and went out of business.

When a post office opened in 1886, the first postmaster tried to name it "Wilhoyte." But the community quickly changed it back to "Prospect."

Even though some fancy homes were built in the late 1800s, Prospect was mostly farmland. This changed in the mid-1960s. Large, high-end neighborhoods, like Hunting Creek with its golf course, were built. Prospect officially became a city in 1974.

On April 2, 2024, a strong tornado hit the town. It caused a lot of damage to the area.

Geography and Location

Prospect is in the northeastern part of Jefferson County. A small piece of the city also reaches into Oldham County to the north. The Ohio River forms the city's northwestern border. U.S. Route 42 runs along its southwest side. Harrods Creek, which flows into the Ohio River, is to the south.

US-42 is a main road through Prospect. It goes southwest about 12 miles to downtown Louisville. To the northeast, it goes about 29 miles to Bedford.

The city of Prospect covers about 3.9 square miles (10.1 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 3.83 square miles (9.9 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.07 square miles (0.2 square kilometers), is water.

It's important to know that the "Prospect" postal address (ZIP Code 40059) covers a much larger area. This postal area goes beyond the city's official boundaries.

Population and People

In 2000, there were 4,657 people living in Prospect. These people lived in 1,732 households, with 1,423 of them being families. The city had about 1,158 people per square mile.

Most of the people in Prospect were White (92.91%). There were also African American (3.39%), Asian (2.06%), Native American (0.26%), and other groups. About 0.64% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (38.0%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (76.3%) were married couples. The average household had 2.69 people.

The population's age was spread out. About 27.5% were under 18 years old. About 10.1% were 65 years or older. The average age in the city was 43 years.

In 2000, the average income for a household in Prospect was $111,170. For families, the average income was $124,131. This shows that Prospect is a very wealthy community.

See also

In Spanish: Prospect (Kentucky) para niños