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 BGeorgetownSafer than 55% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−IndependenceBetter than 84% of districts in the state BGeorgetownBetter than 58% of districts in the state

Health

A−IndependenceHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns B−GeorgetownHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns

17Independence

5Georgetown

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

Most walkableOutdoors · 145 towns #118#16 SafestSafety · 118 towns #6#67 Most trailsOutdoors · 81 towns #60#24 Shortest commuteGetting around · 145 towns #132#73 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 145 towns #35#79 Best schoolsSchools · 126 towns #26#56 Most remote workersWork · 144 towns #34#66 Most activeHealth · 144 towns #13#44

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Down paymentRate%

Independence$1,980/mo

Typical home $328K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.96% · or rent about $1,250/mo · Housing →

Georgetown$1,990/mo

Typical home $342K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $1,255/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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

IndependenceGeorgetown

Snow a year23″15″

January low23°F 25°F

July high86°F 87°F

Growing season (days)188d 196d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)23rd 44th

Outdoors & history

IndependenceGeorgetown

Trails6 mi 13 mi

Conserved land6.6%3.2%

Settled1842 1784

National Register places3 46

Archive photos—17

Famous people born here—27

Community

IndependenceGeorgetown

Library hours a week—70 hrs

Colleges in town—1

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Where they are

48 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

IndependenceKY GeorgetownKY

Independence ↔ Georgetown48 miles apart

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.

Only big differences vs Kentucky average

IndependenceGeorgetown

People

Population 29,392Lowest 39,117Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +15.8%Lowest KY: +3.8% +27.5%Highest KY: +3.8%

Median age 33.7±1.5Highest 14% below KY 32.7±0.6Lowest 16% below KY

Independence and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 27.9%±2.3Highest KY: 22.6% 25.6%±1.3Lowest KY: 22.6%

Independence and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 10.7%±1.4Lowest KY: 17.3% 10.9%±0.9Highest KY: 17.3%

Georgetown and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 36.4%Highest KY: 27.6% 34.1%Lowest KY: 27.6%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.9%±1.1Lowest KY: 5.5% 7.2%±0.9Highest KY: 5.5%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $102,361±$8kHighest 61% above KY $80,088±$3kLowest 26% above KY

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $263,700±$11kLowest 28% above KY $265,400±$9kHighest 29% above KY

Georgetown and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,250±$120Lowest 29% above KY $1,255±$58Highest 30% above KY

Georgetown and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,527Highest 64% above KY $1,839Lowest 19% above KY

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.2%±10Lowest KY: 45.4% 40.9%±6.3Highest KY: 45.4%

Georgetown 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% 12.1%Highest KY: 16.1%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.8%Highest KY: 68.3% 62.3%Lowest KY: 68.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1999Lowest 17 yrs newer than KY 2001Highest 19 yrs newer than KY

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 13% above KY 22 minLowest 10% below KY

Work from home 13.6%±2Highest KY: 10.2% 10.3%±1.4Lowest KY: 10.2%

Independence and Georgetown are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 4%Lowest 28.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.8 miLowest 12.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 1.25Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Cincinnati (11%)Lexington (31%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GeorgetownFew work in Independence

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 6.6%Highest 3.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.8 miLowest 12.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.7 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Lowest 13Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.7Lowest 79.9Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #26 of 126 in KY #56 of 126 in KY

School district Kenton CountyScott County

High school in town Simon Kenton High SchoolGreat Crossing High School

Students per teacherat that high school 23.7Highest 20.8Lowest

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.

Georgetown neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Georgetown’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Independence and Georgetown

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Bordering Independence

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Erlanger19,875 people · $209K homes

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Covington41,110 people · $187K homes

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Elsmere9,205 people · $172K homes

Towns like Independence

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Mount Washington18,480 people · $268K homes

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Jeffersontown29,199 people · $251K homes

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Shepherdsville14,533 people · $222K homes

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Lawrenceburg11,943 people · $201K 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.

Independence vs Georgetown

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Independence places higher on 17 of 22 KY lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

48 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Independence and Georgetown

Bordering Independence

Towns like Independence

Post to Independence

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