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Living in
Liberty.
About
Life in Liberty
Living in Liberty means being part of a stable Kansas City suburb with solid job prospects and reasonable housing costs for the metro area. The median household income of $88,542 is well above national average, and the unemployment rate of 4.0% suggests steady work availability, though you'll likely need to commute into Kansas City proper for many positions—plan on about 23 minutes on average. Homes run around $283,000, and rent averages $1,164 monthly, which is fairly reasonable for a Kansas City suburb with good schools and infrastructure.
Liberty at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Foreign-Born
2.5%
Broadband Internet
93.3%
of households
Population Growth
+3.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.5% foreign-born, most often from Iraq
Who lives in Liberty: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Liberty, the largest foreign-born group is from Iraq (22.4%), and 1.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.5%
of residents
65 and Older
15.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.7%
of households
Married Couples
52.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.56
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 12% above MO average
Rent, home values, and income in Liberty
In Liberty, rent runs 12% above the MO average, and home values are 23% above the MO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,267
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
73.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $327,391 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MO
Unemployment in Liberty and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Liberty is close to the MO average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Liberty Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Kansas City, MO-KS metro area
Commute22.9 min avg
How Liberty residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Liberty, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 69% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 16 mi
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
Medium hub5.6M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 67% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Liberty runs 67% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
107.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,155.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Liberty Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
89.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clay County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clay County, which includes Liberty, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 8 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $25,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2019 | 19 | Hail | None reported |
| 2018 | 13 | Drought | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clay County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clay County, which includes Liberty, is typically good — 270 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
270
per year
Moderate Days
86
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Clay County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Liberty has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and very cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
41°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.1"
Annual Snowfall
19.4"
Hot Days/Year
37
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
128
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
96
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°F | 17°F | 1.27" |
| Feb | 43°F | 21°F | 1.55" |
| Mar | 55°F | 31°F | 2.48" |
| Apr | 66°F | 41°F | 4.07" |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 5.23" |
| Jun | 84°F | 63°F | 5.22" |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 5.41" |
| Aug | 87°F | 64°F | 4.03" |
| Sep | 80°F | 55°F | 4.91" |
| Oct | 68°F | 43°F | 3.25" |
| Nov | 55°F | 31°F | 2.11" |
| Dec | 42°F | 22°F | 1.68" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Liberty
Liberty has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Liberty Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Nkc Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.4 mi away · North Kansas City
Saint Lukes North Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.2 mi away · Kansas City
Excelsior Springs Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 12.8 mi away · Excelsior Springs
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Liberty
Liberty's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 39.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
39.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Liberty
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 924 students · in-state tuition $21,538 · 62% graduate · median earnings $63,955 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
15 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 10,649 students · in-state tuition $3,630 · 22% graduate · median earnings $44,475 (10 yrs after entry)
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
9.1 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 747 students · in-state tuition $10,560 · 33% graduate · median earnings $47,104 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Harry S Truman National Historic Site, 22 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Liberty
Liberty has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Harry S Truman National Historic Site (22 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Harry S Truman National Historic Site
National Historic Site
22 mi awayBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
National Historical Park
69 mi awayFort Scott National Historic Site
National Historic Site
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Liberty
Withers Branch
1665 S Withers Rd, Liberty
Cities Near Liberty
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Liberty?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Liberty FAQ
Is Liberty, Missouri affordable?⌄
Liberty's median rent is $1,160/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $88,542/year. Median home value is $283,300.
Is Liberty, Missouri safe?⌄
Liberty's violent crime rate was 108 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1155 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Liberty, Missouri?⌄
Liberty has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Liberty, Missouri?⌄
The cost of living in Liberty is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,160/month and median household income is $88,542/year. The median home value is $283,300. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Liberty, Missouri?⌄
The average commute in Liberty is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from