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Covington vs Independence

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: household income (+67% in Independence) and trails (3.3× in Covington).

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Covington, KYA history townKentucky · 41,110 people
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Independence, KYAn outdoors townKentucky · 29,392 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

CovingtonA history town
HistorySettled in 181552 places on the National Register Outdoors#3 most trails in KY19 miles of trails across 15 parks and preserves Famous people60 notable peopleborn in Covington All about Covington →
IndependenceAn outdoors town
Outdoors#17 most conserved land in KY5.8 miles of trails across 8 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 81%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Schools#26 for schools in KYof 126 towns All about Independence →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Household income+67%
Households in Independence earn more
Independence $102,361Covington $61,166
Trails3.3×
Covington has more miles of trail
Covington 19.4 miIndependence 5.8 mi
Typical home built52 yrs
Covington’s homes are older
Independence 1999Covington 1947
Homeowners+32 pts renters
Covington has more renters
Independence 83.8%Covington 51.8%
Jobs per worker2.9×
Covington is more of a job hub
Covington 0.96Independence 0.33
Growth since 2010+15 pts
Independence has grown faster since 2010
Independence +15.8%Covington +0.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Independence

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Covington$1,350/mo
Typical home $219K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,006/mo · Housing →
Independence$1,980/mo
Typical home $328K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.96% · or rent about $1,250/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Independence and Covington.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Independence places higher on 12 of 22 KY lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Kentucky ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CCovingtonSafer than 32% of U.S. towns AIndependenceSafer than 92% of U.S. towns
Schools
BCovingtonBetter than 57% of districts in the state A−IndependenceBetter than 84% of districts in the state
Health
C−CovingtonHealthier than 19% of U.S. towns A−IndependenceHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns
10Covington
12Independence

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

SafestSafety · 118 towns #96#6 Most trailsOutdoors · 81 towns #3#60 Best schoolsSchools · 126 towns #112#26 Most walkableOutdoors · 145 towns #24#118 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 46 towns #34#6 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 144 towns #90#15 HealthiestHealth · 144 towns #91#17 Fewest smokersHealth · 144 towns #103#30

Left end = #1 in Kentucky. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Covington’s rankings →

Where they are

Covington and Independence share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

CovingtonIndependenceCovingtonIndependence
Covington ↔ Independence5.6 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
1,079 Independence residents work in Covington (7.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Independence →
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
CovingtonIndependence
Snow a year23″23″
January low23°F23°F
July high86°F86°F
Growing season (days)188d188d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th23rd
Outdoors & history
CovingtonIndependence
Trails19 mi6 mi
Conserved land9.6%6.6%
Settled18151842
National Register places523
Archive photos18—
Famous people born here60—
Community
CovingtonIndependence
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

CovingtonIndependence
People
Population 41,110Highest 29,392Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.8%Lowest KY: +3.8% +15.8%Highest KY: +3.8%
Median age 37.6±1.2Highest 4% below KY 33.7±1.5Lowest 14% below KY
Kids under 18 20.4%±1.6Lowest KY: 22.6% 27.9%±2.3Highest KY: 22.6%
Age 65+ 14.6%±1.3Highest KY: 17.3% 10.7%±1.4Lowest KY: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.2%Lowest KY: 27.6% 36.4%Highest KY: 27.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.1%±1.1Highest KY: 5.5% 4.9%±1.1Lowest KY: 5.5%
Covington and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,166±$4kLowest 4% below KY $102,361±$8kHighest 61% above KY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $187,300±$11kLowest 9% below KY $263,700±$11kHighest 28% above KY
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,006±$57Lowest 4% above KY $1,250±$120Highest 29% above KY
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,085Lowest 35% above KY $2,527Highest 64% above KY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.2%±4.5Highest KY: 45.4% 38.2%±10Lowest KY: 45.4%
Covington and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.8%Highest KY: 16.1% 8.8%Lowest KY: 16.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51.8%Lowest KY: 68.3% 83.8%Highest KY: 68.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1947Lowest 35 yrs older than KY 1999Highest 17 yrs newer than KY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 9% below KY 27 minHighest 13% above KY
Work from home 14.1%±2.3Highest KY: 10.2% 13.6%±2Lowest KY: 10.2%
Covington and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 12.8%Highest 4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.3 miLowest 8.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.96Highest 0.33Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Cincinnati (15%)Cincinnati (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Independence7% work in Covington
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.6%Highest 6.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 19.4 miHighest 5.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.4 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 15Highest 8Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 74.5Highest 32.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #112 of 126 in KY#26 of 126 in KY
School district Covington Independent · Kenton CountyKenton County
High school in town Holmes High SchoolSimon Kenton High School
Students per teacherat that high school 13.4Lowest 23.7Highest
Kentucky average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Covington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Covington’s Town Square.

Independence neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Independence’s Town Square.

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Bordering Covington

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Taylor Mill6,937 people · $241K homes
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Fort Wright5,887 people · $329K homes
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Ludlow4,378 people · $185K homes
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Park Hills3,165 people · $282K homes

Towns like Covington

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Nicholasville32,197 people · $227K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Kentucky towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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