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Place dossier plate
SheetKY-INDEPENDENCE-KY · Independence, KY 29,024 pop · income 77th pct
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Independence
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Independence on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Henderson · lowest
47,176
Henderson · lowest
47,176 median HH income
36.1% of the leader · rank #1
Bagdad · near
98,641
Bagdad · near
98,641 median HH income
75.4% of the leader · rank #2
Land O' Lakes · near
98,648
Land O' Lakes · near
98,648 median HH income
75.4% of the leader · rank #3
Independence · this city
98,653
Independence · this city
98,653 median HH income
75.4% of the leader · rank #4
Texhoma · near
98,661
Texhoma · near
98,661 median HH income
75.4% of the leader · rank #5
St. Paul Park · near
98,670
St. Paul Park · near
98,670 median HH income
75.4% of the leader · rank #6
Sachse · highest
130,839
Sachse · highest
130,839 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Independence on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 29,024.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
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
10th
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. Households in Independence report a median income of $98,653 per 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 $984 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 44.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Independence's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from reported crime to housing and income to schools and households to comparison shortlist to population change to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Independence, city-specific coverage includes FBI reported-crime rates, commute-mode shares, matched public-school count, local building permits, annual population history.
No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
Question 1
What can the FBI record say about safety in Independence?
The joined FBI UCR record reports 342.9 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, below the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 85% lower in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
How far does income reach against housing in Independence?
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.
The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 2.4 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 5.4%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
What does the education layer cover for Independence?
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
The NCES join finds 6 public schools within the city match. 37.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
Which cities make useful reference points for Independence?
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
Within Kentucky, the closest population matches are Jeffersontown (28,988 residents, $78,185 income); Frankfort (28,452 residents, $54,438 income); Henderson (27,994 residents, $47,176 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Shaker Heights, OH (29,004 residents); Russellville, AR (29,057 residents); Enterprise, AL (28,990 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Population change
Is Independence growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +1,418 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +4.9% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 64 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
2020 estimate
28,780
2025 estimate
30,198
Period change
+4.9%
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
What does the journey to work look like in Independence?
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 77.8%. The reported mean trip to work is 23.9 minutes.
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Drive alone
77.8%
Work from home
12.7%
Public transit
0.3%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 15,472 workers age 16+.
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Violent crime A+
27 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Cost of living A
90.2 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Household income B+
$98,653
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Bachelor's+ share B
37.3%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Poverty rate C+
5.4%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Independence profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Violent crime: 90/100 (A+) · 27 /100k
Cost of living: 85/100 (A) · 90.2 index
Household income: 76/100 (B+) · $98,653
Bachelor's+ share: 71/100 (B) · 37.3%
Poverty rate: 63/100 (C+) · 5.4%
Where Independence sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Independence's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Independence highlighted among 11 peers.Read the chart values
Independence, KY (this city): home $240,500, crime 343/100k
Russellville, AR : home $166,500, crime 1,734/100k
Enterprise, AL : home $198,500, crime 3,003/100k
Sachse, TX : home $366,100, crime 810/100k
Easton, PA : home $169,200, crime 1,387/100k
Jeffersontown, KY : home $236,800, crime 2,381/100k
Frankfort, KY : home $171,600, crime 1,846/100k
Henderson, KY : home $151,400, crime 2,134/100k
Hopkinsville, KY : home $140,200, crime 2,952/100k
Paducah, KY : home $164,600, crime 3,065/100k
Nicholasville, KY : home $210,700, crime 1,610/100k
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 income77% higher than other cities
Home value54% pricier than other cities
Median rent10% pricier than other cities
Safety91% 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
Each percentile compares Independence against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Kentucky only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Kentucky-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Independence near the bottom of Kentucky's cities
Among the 520 Kentucky cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Independence ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Independence only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#78 of 485
84th percentile in Kentucky
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 520
0th percentile in Kentucky
Median Home Value
#105 of 484
78th percentile in Kentucky
Poverty Rate
#363 of 519
30th percentile in Kentucky
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#119 of 520
77th percentile in Kentucky
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Kentucky only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
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.
How Independence's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$240,50046th percentilemore affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
Independence's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.4×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#3,695 of 15,516
More affordable than 76% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#313 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)
At 2.4×, Independence sits in the affordable band:
national rank #3,695 of 15,516 and #313 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999).
The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$98,653Independence, KY median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Independence, KY median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Independence, KY.
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
Crime reporting caveat
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
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Independence's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
28,780 residents
2021
29,078 residents
2022
29,311 residents
2023
29,602 residents
2024
30,052 residents
2025
30,198 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
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
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
113
113
0
$20.1M
2020
123
123
0
$28.6M
2021
128
128
0
$31.3M
2022
75
75
0
$21.2M
2023
73
73
0
$21.3M
2024
64
58
6
$20.1M
Permit volume decreased 43% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
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
Kentucky statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Kentucky at $225 (electricity about $115 , water and sewer about $40 ).
These are Kentucky statewide averages, not a meter reading for Independence. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Kentucky's BEA cost-of-living index is 90.2 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Independence is $984/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Kentucky statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 44.2 / 100 (Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Kentucky statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Independence sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Independence compares to similar-size Kentucky cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
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.