About Villa Hills, Kentucky: History, Numbers & Key Contacts
Carpenter's Trace sits in Villa Hills, a small, mostly residential home rule city in Kenton County, perched in the hills above the Ohio River about 15 minutes from downtown Cincinnati. Here’s the short version of where we live, how it came to be, and who to call.
Checked against official sources October 7, 2026.
Villa Hills at a glance
Villa Hills calls itself a family-focused bedroom community in Northern Kentucky. The city says it is about 1.1 miles from the interstate, has five community parks, its own public works crew, and a full-time professional police department. The city also notes it is consistently ranked among the top 10 safest places to live in Kentucky.
Mayor Heather Jansen’s welcome describes the city as roughly 4.4 square miles with over 7,000 residents, with views of downtown Cincinnati. Local landmarks include St. Walburg Monastery, Villa Madonna Academy (a private K–12 school), River Ridge Elementary (a public K–5 school) and Madonna Manor, a senior retirement community.
- County
- Kenton County, Kentucky
- ZIP code
- 41017
- Form of government
- Home Rule Class city with a mayor and city council
- Area
- Roughly 4.4 square miles (per the mayor’s welcome)
- Population
- 7.48k in 2020, up 0.349% from 2019 (city’s posted figures)
- Median age
- 47.6 years (city’s posted figures)
- Median household income
- $91,166 (city’s posted figures)
- Median property value
- $218,500, with a 93.3% homeownership rate (2020)
- Distance to downtown Cincinnati
- About 15 minutes; the city estimates 15–35 minutes depending on traffic
A short history of Villa Hills
- 1785: The first known settlers, Robert McKay, his wife and seven children, arrived from Frederick County, Virginia, on land deeded for Revolutionary War service, believed to be about 3,000 acres.
- 1825: McKay’s granddaughter married Charles W. Scott and was deeded about 300 acres.
- 1843: The Scott family began building a two-story white brick house on Highwater Road overlooking the river; it stood, and stayed in the family, until 2004.
- 1900: The area was still unincorporated farmland known as “Madonna Acres” and “Ludlow.”
- 1903: The Sisters of St. Benedict bought about 85 acres of the W.C. Collins Estate, where St. Walburg Monastery and Villa Madonna Academy were built. They now own about 230 acres.
- 1955: Sales of the Boh and Schreck family farms brought new streets: Ann, Frank, Kenridge, Mary, Rardin Ct and Sunglow.
- Early 1960s: I-75 brought new suburban residents. At the time the existing roads were Buttermilk Pike, Collins Road and Amsterdam Road.
- 1962: Villa Hills incorporated as a 6th class city with a population of 425.
- 1964: Madonna Manor opened. The city’s history page also tells how neighbors worried about being absorbed into Covington formed a board of trustees and, on $300 borrowed from the Villa Hills Civic Club, incorporated the city; the board then annexed land around the original half square mile, growing the city to 3.5 square miles.
- 1980: The first City Building went up on Rogers Road, housing police and public works. Prospect Point was annexed the same year.
- 1990: Curbside recycling began.
- 1992: River Ridge Elementary opened; at the time it was the largest elementary school in Kentucky.
- 1995: The police department earned its first accreditation from the Kentucky Law Enforcement Professional Standards Committee.
- 2000: A historical marker honoring Sgt. Ronald Niewahner, a Villa Hills resident killed in Vietnam in 1968, was dedicated at Valley Trails Drive and Niewahner Drive.
- 2014: The Villa Hills Longhorns Baseball Club was founded.
- 2018: Villa Hills Police began providing police service to the City of Crescent Springs by contract.
- 2022: The Villa Hills Civic Club, a community cornerstone, burned down in an accidental fire.
Where Carpenter’s Trace fits in
Carpenter's Trace is served by the city’s Rumpke trash contract and is on the Tuesday pickup route. City Hall, the police station and the public works garage are all clustered on Rogers Road, and Franzen Fields and City-Civic Park are right there too.
How the city is run
Villa Hills has an elected mayor (currently Heather Jansen, in her second term) and a six-member city council. Council meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at 719 Rogers Road, with quarterly caucus meetings and monthly committee meetings in between.
Day-to-day administration is handled by a City Administrator, City Clerk, Deputy Clerk and a contracted accountant. City Administrator Craig T. Bohman assists the mayor with operations, HR and fiscal oversight; City Clerk Jennifer Lipson collects city taxes and fees and is the official records custodian; Deputy Clerk Anna Bailey helps the public and processes passport applications.
Some services come from partners: fire and EMS from the Crescent Springs/Villa Hills Fire Department, building permits, zoning and code enforcement from Planning and Development Services of Kenton County (PDS), 911 dispatch from Kenton County Consolidated Dispatch, and trash pickup from Rumpke by contract.
Numbers to save in your phone
- City Hall fax
- 859.341.0012
- Police fax
- 859.341.3579
Non-emergency administrative line (voicemail when unstaffed)
(859) 341-3535719 Rogers Rd, Villa Hills, KY 41017Kenton County Consolidated Dispatch
24-hour police/fire non-emergency line (emergencies: 911)
Crescent Springs/Villa Hills Fire Department
Office / non-emergency (emergencies: 911)
(859) 341-3840777 Overlook Dr, Crescent Springs, KY 41017 (behind Kremer’s Market)
Stay in the loop
The city posts news, snow emergencies and found items on its Facebook page and offers an email alert sign-up on its News and Alerts page (the city says it does not sell your information). A printed newsletter goes out each fall and past issues are posted online.
On the map
- 1Villa Hills City Building720 Rogers Rd
- 2Villa Hills Police719 Rogers Rd
- 3Crescent Springs/Villa Hills Fire777 Overlook Dr, Crescent Springs
- 4Franzen Fields & City-Civic Park729 Rogers Rd
- 5Villa Madonna Complex (Tom Braun Fields)2500 Amsterdam Rd
- 6River Ridge Elementary (polling place)2772 Amsterdam Rd
- Carpenter’s Trace
Frequently asked questions
›Where is Villa Hills, Kentucky?
Villa Hills is in Kenton County in Northern Kentucky, set in the hills above the Ohio River. The city says it is about 15 minutes from downtown Cincinnati and about 1.1 miles from the interstate.
Source ↗›Where is Villa Hills City Hall and what are its hours?
City Administration is at 720 Rogers Road, Villa Hills, KY 41017, across the street from the Villa Hills Civic Club and Franzen Fields. Offices are open 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, and closed on holidays. Call (859) 341-1515.
Source ↗›What is the population of Villa Hills, KY?
The city’s About page lists a 2020 population of 7.48k, up 0.349% from 2019. The mayor’s welcome describes the city as home to over 7,000 residents.
Source ↗›When was Villa Hills incorporated?
The city’s history timeline says Villa Hills incorporated in 1962 as a 6th class city with 425 residents. It is now a Home Rule Class city under Kentucky law.
Source ↗›Who is the mayor of Villa Hills?
Heather Jansen is the mayor and is in her second term. She has lived in Villa Hills for over 20 years.
Source ↗›Does Villa Hills have a city income tax?
No. Villa Hills does not have an income tax, and residents who work outside the city do not pay the Villa Hills occupational license fee. Businesses operating in the city pay a 1.5% payroll fee through Kenton County.
Source ↗›Who provides fire and EMS service in Villa Hills?
The city contracts with the Crescent Springs/Villa Hills Fire Department, which runs one station at 777 Overlook Drive in Crescent Springs. Call 911 for emergencies or (859) 341-3840 for the office.
Source ↗›How do I sign up for Villa Hills city alerts?
Use the email alert sign-up on the city’s News and Alerts page. The city also posts updates, including snow emergencies, on its Facebook page and website home page.
Source ↗›Who do I call about airplane noise over Villa Hills?
The city points residents to CVG Airport’s noise abatement page for information about flight paths and aircraft noise.
Source ↗