7.9 out of 10

Independence

38.9522447479361 -84.538506050251
Great for
  • Clean & Green
  • Cost of Living
  • Neighborly Spirit
  • Safe & Sound
  • Peace & Quiet
Not great for
  • Nightlife
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
Who lives here?
  • Families with kids
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  •  

Reviews

4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 2/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 2/5
  • Public Transport 2/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Fair sized for more to do and good schools to boot!"

I just recently reviewed nearby Alexandria, and in many respects Independence is similar to Independence. They're both quite safe, friendly and quiet places to live. They both have little nightlife.

That said, Independence is a fair bit bigger than Alexandria, and while it doesn't have a plethora of nightlife options, there are a few bars that are a fair bit of fun. Buffalo Wild Wings, while obviously not exclusive to Independence, provides and absolutely outstanding atmosphere and good food. I don't think it gets packed, but it's pretty busy most of the time.

Safety is a big factor for me, and though I live a bit South in Lexington, I travel through Independence on my way up to visit my youngest daughter in Covington, and I wouldn't stop in Independence if it wasn't safe. It's certainly one of the safer places I've ever been to.

While Independence isn't the biggest town in the world, it has somewhere around 30,000 people, which is pretty decent for Kentucky, and with this comes a fair number of options for getting a job or an education. Simon Kenton High School is pretty good and gets good reviews, as does Summit View Middle School. They're not glitzy or glamourous, but they get the job done.

Independence Park isn't very big, and there aren't a ton of options for doing things here, but it's clean and on a sunny day you could do a lot worse than have a picnic here.

Overall, I'd give Independence a pretty good review. There's a fair number of places to eat, a few places for drinks, a decent park, good schools and it's super safe. I'd say you can do much worse than Independence.
Pros
  • Decent-sized population
  • Clean
  • VERY safe
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Safe, friendly and affordable - Independence has Everything but Nightlife!"

Wow! Independence is one of the best cities in Kentucky. It's absolutely a safe, clean and friendly city. There are a few issues, especially for a younger guy like me, but you get an awful lot living here.

I'll start with the good stuff. Actually, I'll call it the GREAT stuff. Crime. Nearly nonexistent in Independence. You hear about very little crime here, and while there is the occasional break-in or violent crime, it's extremely rare. I actually had to look it up to see if there's even been many crimes. There's 63% less violent crime in Independence than in Kentucky in general, and this is a pretty safe state. That's a big selling point, especially for the many families who live here. This is the kind of place you can relax and feel perfectly safe.

Independence is also extremely affordable. From the low cost of housing to cheaper goods and services, you can get by on a lot less in Independence. This is good, because of the the negatives of the area is employment. You can find a job, but not necessarily a super high-paying one. This is the reason I don't live here and live in Alexandria instead. You could struggle to find a job in Independence.

Another negative of living here is the limited population. I don't mind being able to know my neighbors and much of a town, but you don't really have the dating options or people to hang out with in Independence, and there are few bars or restaurants to take a date anyways. If you prefer staying in with only the occasional trip out this might not be so bad for you, but it can be awfully slow in Independence.

Otherwise, the schools are supposed to be pretty good and Independence Park is very nice and clean, so you'll have a bit of greenery in the city to enjoy. I'm a fan of Independence in general, though I think I'll need to get a few years older and start a family before I'd consider moving here.
Pros
  • VERY safe
  • Clean
  • Affordable
Cons
  • Not a lot of employment opportunities
  • Kinda slow/boring
Recommended for
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 5/5
  • Pest Free 5/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 2/5
  • Nightlife 1/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 5/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
2yrs+

"great family subdivision"

great culdesac with 15 homes and over 27 children - more on the way! And polite and kind children too! Neighbors who help each other with their ywards, borrown kitchen ingredients and tools, and a safe feeling around with policemen, firemen and the city mayor around the corner.
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids

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