Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Wilder vs Covington

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (24.3× in Covington) and size (13.1× in Covington).

×
Wilder, KYOne of the healthiest townsKentucky · 3,135 people
×
Covington, KYA history townKentucky · 41,110 people
Swap order
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.

WilderOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 65%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$217K typical home7% below the KY typical home SafetySafer than 70%of U.S. towns we grade All about Wilder →
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 people53 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.

Trails24.3×
Covington has more miles of trail
Covington 19.4 miWilder 0.8 mi
Size13.1×
Covington is the bigger place
Covington 41,110Wilder 3,135
Street grid3.7×
Covington has the more walkable street grid
Covington 74.5Wilder 20.3
Typical home built45 yrs
Covington’s homes are older
Wilder 1992Covington 1947
Homeowners+29 pts renters
Covington has more renters
Wilder 80.8%Covington 51.8%
Bachelor’s degree++28.8 pts
More adults in Wilder have a degree
Wilder 61%Covington 32.2%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Wilder places higher on 15 of 19 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
B+WilderSafer than 70% of U.S. towns CCovingtonSafer than 32% of U.S. towns
Schools
–WilderNot graded BCovingtonBetter than 57% of districts in the state
Health
B+WilderHealthier than 65% of U.S. towns C−CovingtonHealthier than 19% of U.S. towns
15Wilder
4Covington

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 145 towns #138#24 Most new homesHousing · 77 towns #72#21 Fewest smokersHealth · 144 towns #22#103 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 144 towns #15#90 Most conserved landOutdoors · 131 towns #77#10 SafestSafety · 118 towns #43#96 HealthiestHealth · 144 towns #32#91 Lowest depressionHealth · 144 towns #32#82

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

Where they are

Wilder and Covington share a border

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

WilderCovingtonWilderCovington
Wilder ↔ Covington2.0 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
92 Wilder residents work in Covington (5.6% of its workers)
Work & commute in Wilder →
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.

Wilder$1,300/mo
Typical home $217K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.90% · or rent about $1,432/mo · Housing →
Covington$1,350/mo
Typical home $219K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,006/mo · Housing →

The difference: $50 a month, about $600 a year, between Covington and Wilder.

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
WilderCovington
Snow a year23″23″
January low23°F23°F
July high86°F86°F
Growing season (days)188d188d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)17th76th
Outdoors & history
WilderCovington
Trails1 mi19 mi
Conserved land1.5%9.6%
Settled—1815
National Register places152
Archive photos—18
Famous people born here—53
Community
WilderCovington
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.

WilderCovington
People
Population 3,135Lowest 41,110Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.6%Highest KY: +3.8% +0.8%Lowest KY: +3.8%
Median age 37.6±3.5 4% below KY 37.6±1.2 4% below KY
Kids under 18 18.1%±5.4Lowest KY: 22.6% 20.4%±1.6Highest KY: 22.6%
Covington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.3%±7.5Highest KY: 17.3% 14.6%±1.3Lowest KY: 17.3%
Wilder and Covington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 61%Highest KY: 27.6% 32.2%Lowest KY: 27.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.8%±4.2Highest KY: 5.5% 5.1%±1.1Lowest KY: 5.5%
Wilder and Covington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $70,893±$21kHighest 11% above KY $61,166±$4kLowest 4% below KY
Wilder and Covington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $159,900±$55kLowest 22% below KY $187,300±$11kHighest 9% below KY
Covington and Wilder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,432±$71Highest 48% above KY $1,006±$57Lowest 4% above KY
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,432Lowest 7% below KY $2,085Highest 35% above KY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25.6%±17.9Lowest KY: 45.4% 49.2%±4.5Highest KY: 45.4%
Below poverty line 18.6%Lowest KY: 16.1% 20.8%Highest KY: 16.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 80.8%Highest KY: 68.3% 51.8%Lowest KY: 68.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1992Highest 10 yrs newer than KY 1947Lowest 35 yrs older than KY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 17% below KY 22 minHighest 9% below KY
Work from home 18.2%±5.7Highest KY: 10.2% 14.1%±2.3Lowest KY: 10.2%
Wilder and Covington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.2%Lowest 12.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.8 miHighest 7.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.24Highest 0.96Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Cincinnati (19%)Cincinnati (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 6% work in CovingtonFew work in Wilder
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.5%Lowest 9.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 19.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 15Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 20.3Lowest 74.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#112 of 126 in KY
School district —Covington Independent · Kenton County
High school in town —Holmes High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 13.4
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.

Wilder neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wilder’s Town Square.

Covington neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Covington’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wilder and Covington

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Wilder

+ Compare
Newport13,967 people · $218K homes
T
+ Compare
Taylor Mill6,937 people · $241K homes
S
+ Compare
Southgate3,717 people · $191K homes
+ Compare
Highland Heights6,444 people · $170K homes

Towns like Wilder

C
+ Compare
Crestview Hills3,284 people · $280K homes
+ Compare
Lakeside Park2,828 people · $360K homes
+ Compare
Audubon Park1,707 people · $363K homes
B
+ Compare
Beechwood Village1,292 people · $344K homes

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.

Post to Wilder

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in