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Independence.

All Independence data Compare Independence

121,740people live here $60,339median household income▼ 25% below US $1,109median rent per month▼ 22% below US $172,900median home value▼ 48% below US

What it's like to live in Independence

Independence is a mid-size city in Missouri with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Independence deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and college degree attainment below the national average.

The good

Rent below the national average
Affordable home prices
Average class sizes

The not so good

Below-average household incomes
Crime above national average
Air quality concerns
Low college degree attainment
Cold winters
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Independence compares

Median household income

Independence$60,339

Missouri avg$70,702

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Independence$1,109

Missouri avg$1,033

US$1,413

Median home value

Independence$172,900

Missouri avg$230,300

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Independence

Based on Independence's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,218

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,360 a year
50% of Independence renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$34,580

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $17,290
Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▼ 22% below US

$1,109/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,109 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $172,900. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.

Median home value $172,900 · 50% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

4.7% unemployment

Unemployment here is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▲ 70% above US

560 violent crimes per 100k

Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.

Property crime 3007/100k · Independence Police Department · 2025 data

Getting aroundNear US average

24 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

78%

Work from home

12%

Carpool

7.9%

Walk

0.9%

Other

0.8%

Public transit

0.5%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 85°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 22°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▼ 39% below US

22% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

34 public schools inside the boundary

There are 34 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Harry S Truman National Historic Site (14 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Independence's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,109/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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