Covington vs Independence
Covington, Kentucky versus Independence, Kentucky: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Independence edges out Covington on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Covington | Independence |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $92k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $46k |
| Home Value | $154k | $226k |
| Monthly Rent | $877 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.17% | 0.99% |
| Income Tax | 7.00% | 5.50% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.31% | 9.89% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 3.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 76°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.4 in | 45.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 23.3 in | 23.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 176 days |
| Summer Humidity | 66°F | 65°F |
| Comfortable Days | 71 days | 72 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 51.4 | 28.9 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.6 | 44.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1594/100k | 507/100k |
| Property Crime | 1766/100k | 363/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 40,923 | 28,722 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 34.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.11 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+20 | R+20 |
| White (%) | 76.4% | 93.6% |
| Black (%) | 9.6% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.5% | 1.3% |
| Asian (%) | 1.1% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 2.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 12.5/20 | 8.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 8 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 82.1% | 94.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 104.34 | 14.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Covington or Independence more affordable?
- Independence has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Covington's $46k and Independence's $46k. Median rent is $877 in Covington versus $1k in Independence.
- Is Covington or Independence safer?
- Independence has the lower violent crime rate. Covington reports 1594/100k and Independence reports 507/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Covington or Independence?
- The median home value is $154k in Covington and $226k in Independence, so homes are more affordable in Covington.