The Louisville area was settled in the early 1800s, and its situation on the Tennessee River helped it grow into a key flatboat and steamboat port.

The town's namesake is unknown, although some have suggested that its name was influenced by the French King Louis Philippe, who visited the area in the late 1790s.

The Fort Loudoun Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River comprises Louisville's northern border.

[6] As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,384 people, 1,753 households, and 1,276 families residing in the city.

24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.