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Independence vs Covington

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

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Independence, KYAn outdoors townKentucky · 29,392 people
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Covington, KYA history townKentucky · 41,110 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.

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 →
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 →
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.

Independence$1,980/mo
Typical home $328K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.96% · or rent about $1,250/mo · Housing →
Covington$1,350/mo
Typical home $219K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,006/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
AIndependenceSafer than 92% of U.S. towns CCovingtonSafer than 32% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−IndependenceBetter than 84% of districts in the state BCovingtonBetter than 57% of districts in the state
Health
A−IndependenceHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns C−CovingtonHealthier than 19% of U.S. towns
12Independence
10Covington

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

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

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

Where they are

Independence and Covington share a border

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

IndependenceCovingtonIndependenceCovington
Independence ↔ Covington5.6 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
IndependenceCovington
Snow a year23″23″
January low23°F23°F
July high86°F86°F
Growing season (days)188d188d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)23rd76th
Outdoors & history
IndependenceCovington
Trails6 mi19 mi
Conserved land6.6%9.6%
Settled18421815
National Register places352
Archive photos—18
Famous people born here—60
Community
IndependenceCovington
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.

IndependenceCovington
People
Population 29,392Lowest 41,110Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +15.8%Highest KY: +3.8% +0.8%Lowest KY: +3.8%
Median age 33.7±1.5Lowest 14% below KY 37.6±1.2Highest 4% below KY
Kids under 18 27.9%±2.3Highest KY: 22.6% 20.4%±1.6Lowest KY: 22.6%
Age 65+ 10.7%±1.4Lowest KY: 17.3% 14.6%±1.3Highest KY: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 36.4%Highest KY: 27.6% 32.2%Lowest KY: 27.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.9%±1.1Lowest KY: 5.5% 5.1%±1.1Highest 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 $102,361±$8kHighest 61% above KY $61,166±$4kLowest 4% below KY
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $263,700±$11kHighest 28% above KY $187,300±$11kLowest 9% below KY
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,250±$120Highest 29% above KY $1,006±$57Lowest 4% above KY
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,527Highest 64% above KY $2,085Lowest 35% above KY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.2%±10Lowest KY: 45.4% 49.2%±4.5Highest 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 8.8%Lowest KY: 16.1% 20.8%Highest KY: 16.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.8%Highest KY: 68.3% 51.8%Lowest KY: 68.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1999Highest 17 yrs newer than KY 1947Lowest 35 yrs older than KY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 13% above KY 22 minLowest 9% below KY
Work from home 13.6%±2Lowest KY: 10.2% 14.1%±2.3Highest 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 4%Lowest 12.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.8 miHighest 7.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 0.96Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Cincinnati (11%)Cincinnati (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 7% work in CovingtonFew work in Independence
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.6%Lowest 9.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 5.8 miLowest 19.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 1.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Lowest 15Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.7Lowest 74.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 126 in KY#112 of 126 in KY
School district Kenton CountyCovington Independent · Kenton County
High school in town Simon Kenton High SchoolHolmes High School
Students per teacherat that high school 23.7Highest 13.4Lowest
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.

Independence neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Independence’s Town Square.

Covington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Covington’s Town Square.

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Bordering Independence

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Erlanger19,875 people · $209K homes
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Ryland Heights789 people · $214K homes
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Elsmere9,205 people · $172K homes

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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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