Editing Okolona, Louisville, Kentucky

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
'''Okolona''' is a former [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in southern [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]]/[[Jefferson County, Kentucky|Jefferson County]], [[Kentucky]], [[United States]].<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2403373}}</ref> It is centered on the intersection of Preston Highway and the Outer Loop. The population was 17,807 at the 2000 census. When the government of Jefferson County merged with the city of [[Louisville, Kentucky]] in 2003, residents of Okolona also became citizens of ''Louisville Metro''. As a result, Okolona is said to be a [[neighborhood]] within the city limits of [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]].

It was first settled by farmers from [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Virginia]] in the late 18th century. It was called '''Lone Oak''' in the late 19th century. However, [[Lone Oak, Kentucky|a town near]] [[Paducah, Kentucky]] already claimed that name for its post office, so the town rearranged the words into ''Okolona''. Farming, as well as logging and charcoal production were important industries around this time.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

An [[interurban]] line was extended to the area in 1905, but residential development did not pick up until [[General Electric]] [[GE Consumer & Industrial|Appliance Park]] was opened nearby in 1953.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Okolona sits at exactly the same elevation as [[Downtown Louisville]] despite being {{convert|10|mi|km}} from the [[Ohio River]], making it one of the city's most flood prone areas. Several square miles of wetlands had to be drained in the area to make development possible.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

==Education==
In Okolona there are public and private schools;

;High school
*[[Southern High School (Kentucky)|Southern High School Magnet Career Academy]]
 
;Middle school
*T. T. Knight Middle School

;Elementary
*Okolona Elementary/
*Blue Lick Elementary/
*Blake Elementary

;Private education
*St.Rita Catholic School

==Geography==
Okolona is located at {{coord|38|06|21|N|85|41|06|W|type:city|display=inline,title}}.<ref name=gnis/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|17.9|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, all land.

The zip code for Okolona is 40219<ref>{{Cite web |title=Okolona Post Office - Mailbox Locate |url=https://mailboxlocate.com/offices/1436317-okolona |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=mailboxlocate.com}}</ref> although it partly lies within the 40229 zip code.<ref>{{Cite web |last=codigo-postal.co |title=Okolona, Kentucky ZIP Code - United States |url=https://ec2-3-208-141-37.compute-1.amazonaws.com/en-us/usa/kentucky/okolona/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=ec2-3-208-141-37.compute-1.amazonaws.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1970=17643
| 1980=20039
| 1990=18902
| 2000=17807
| footnote=source:<ref>{{cite web
  |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html
  |title=CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING (1790-2000)
  |publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]
  |access-date=2010-07-18}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 17,807 people, 7,256 households, and 4,955 families residing in the CDP. The [[population density]] was {{convert|993.5|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|abbr=on}}. There were 7,500 housing units at an average density of {{convert|418.5|/km2|/mi2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|abbr=on}}. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.26% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 7.25% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 1.33% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.15% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.71% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.18% of the population.

As of the 2020 census, Okolona is 22% Hispanic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bríñez |first=Ana Rocío Álvarez |title=Louisville Hispanic community 'hungry for representation' with few candidates on ballot |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2022/11/04/kentucky-election-2022-louisville-hispanic-community-representation/69542228007/ |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=The Courier-Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>

There were 7,256 households, out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $35,950, and the median income for a family was $42,711. Males had a median income of $31,267 versus $24,338 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $17,639. About 7.4% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.lfpl.org/branches/okolona.htm Okolona Library]—Website
*[http://www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/News/2013/okolona.htm Mayor Helps Celebrate The Completion of a $400,000 Okolona Park Revitalization]—Louisville.gov June 11, 2013
*[http://orig.courier-journal.com/reweb/community/placetime/midcounty-okolona.html "Okolona: Early Travelers Found Big Oak a Sign of Safety; Motherhead's Was the Place to be for Fun in the '40s"] — Article by Beth Ahonen of ''[[The Courier-Journal]]''

{{Geographic Location
| title = '''Places in [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville Metro]]'''
| Northwest = 
| North = [[Edgewood, Louisville|Edgewood]], [[Newburg, Louisville|Newburg]]
| Northeast = 
| West = [[Heritage Creek, Kentucky|Heritage Creek]], [[South Park View, Kentucky|South Park View]]
| Center = Okolona
| East = [[Highview, Louisville|Highview]]
| Southwest = 
| South = [[Bullitt County, Kentucky|Bullitt County]]
| Southeast = 
}}
{{Louisville neighborhoods}}
{{Louisville}}

[[Category:Cuban-American culture]]
[[Category:Former census-designated places in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Neighborhoods in Louisville, Kentucky]]