Independence, KY
Census place 2139142 · pop 29,392
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,084/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
3.9% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.96% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$263,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
36.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
8.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+6.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
74/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$102,361 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
439 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
39 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
83.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
96.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.36 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
Not measured for Independence: Air, Obesity, Mental, Inactive, Smoking, Uninsured, Bad air. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Independence, KY a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Independence scores 63/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 15 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is income inequality and its weakest is commute time. Kentucky overall ranks #22 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Independence, KY?
- Independence reports 39 violent crimes per 100k and 439 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Independence, KY expensive to live in?
- Independence has a median home value of $263,700 and typical rent around $2,084/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Independence, KY?
- Its weakest measured area is commute time (27 min) — 29/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Independence, KY best at?
- Its strongest measured area is income inequality (0.36) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.