City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

Independence, KY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Independence - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

29,024
Residents
$98,653
Median income
$240,500
Median home
$1,353
Median rent (state)

Independence - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Independence lands in the 77th percentile for household income and the 91st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

77th
percentile, household income
54th
percentile, home value
50th
percentile, median rent
91st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Independence, KY

Independence is a small city in Kentucky, home to 29,024 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Independence brings in $98,653 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.4%. Typical homes in Independence are valued around $240,500, and the median resident age is 34.8 years. 37.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 71.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 64 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 43% from five years earlier. Independence reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 342.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Kentucky run below the national norm: the state registers 90.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,353 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Kentucky run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Independence workers runs 23.9 minutes, with 77.8% driving alone and 12.7% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 77.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

29,024 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$98,653 /yr

Poverty 5.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does Independence compare to other US cities?

Where Independence sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 77% higher than other cities
Home value 54% pricier than other cities
Median rent 50% pricier than other cities
Safety 91% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Kentucky and the picture shifts: Independence ranks #41 of 181 Kentucky cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Independence's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Kentucky, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

77thIncome percentile
91stSafety percentile

77th percentile nationally for median household income · 91st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Independence's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Independence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 72 Avg. percentile National median
Independence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Independence's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$240,500 46th percentile more affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Independence $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Independence, KY Independence, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Independence, KY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Independence, KY median $98,653/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Independence, KY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Independence, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 37.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 71.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
29,024
Median Income
$98,653
Median Home Value
$240,500
Median Age
34.8
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Labor force participation
71.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
37.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
342.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
26.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
316.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
28,500 residents29,000 residents29,500 residents30,000 residents30,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 28,780 residents 30,198 residents ▲ +4.9%
Independence's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
64
housing units authorized
Single-Family
58
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 113
2020 123
2021 128
2022 75
2023 73
2024 64

Permit volume decreased 43% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.9 minutes
Drive Alone
77.8%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
12.7%
Other
0.8%

Based on 15,472 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kentucky - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kentucky state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kentucky state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Independence sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,353/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Jeffersontown
28,988 people
Frankfort
28,452 people
Henderson
27,994 people
Hopkinsville
31,011 people
Paducah
26,894 people
Nicholasville
31,625 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Independence's 29,024 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Shaker Heights, OH
29,004 people
Russellville, AR
29,057 people
Enterprise, AL
28,990 people
East Lake-Orient Park, FL
29,064 people
Sachse, TX
29,075 people
Easton, PA
29,079 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Independence's $98,653 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Land O' Lakes, FL
$98,648 median income
Texhoma, TX
$98,661 median income
Bagdad, AZ
$98,641 median income
St. Paul Park, MN
$98,670 median income
Waipahu, HI
$98,633 median income
Lexington, IL
$98,676 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Independence, KY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Independence, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.0% White 93.5% Black or African American 1.7% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.5% Two or more races 3.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Independence compares to nearby Kentucky cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Independence (this city) 29,024 $98,653
Jeffersontown 28,988 $78,185
Frankfort 28,452 $54,438
Henderson 27,994 $47,176
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Independence, KY?

What is the population of Independence, KY? +

29,024 people live in Independence, KY according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Independence, KY? +

Independence households earn a median of $98,653 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Independence? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Independence; the closest available measure is the Kentucky state average, a cost of living index of 90.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kentucky vary by metro area.

Is Independence, KY safe? +

Independence has a total crime rate of 342.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Independence, KY? +

The median home value in Independence is $240,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.