Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★4.0 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Independence, MO
Explore Independence and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match7.2 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Independence at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population121,740
Median Household Income$60,339
Median Home Value$172,900
Median Gross Rent$1,109
Median Age39.0
Average Household Size2.3
Unemployment5.6%
Work From Home12.3%
Homeownership60.9%
Housing Vacancy8.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Independence is large enough to contain meaningfully different residential, commercial and employment areas rather than functioning as one uniform market. Home values are relatively modest compared with local household income, giving the area a comparatively favorable ownership-affordability signal.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Independence Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Independence →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Independence and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Independence
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$172,900
Median Gross Rent$1,109
Homeownership60.9%
Housing Vacancy8.2%
Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. The housing mix leans toward owner-occupied homes while still supporting a meaningful rental market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Independence, MO
Median Household Income$60,339
Unemployment5.6%
Work From Home12.3%
The reported unemployment rate is in a middle range. A meaningful share of employed residents work from home.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Independence and how households are structured
Population121,740
Median Age39.0
Average Household Size2.3
Independence is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Independence
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Independence point to hot summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and a meaningful winter snowfall season.
Average Summer High86.9°F
Average Winter Low19.2°F
Annual Rainfall44.7 in.
Annual Snowfall13.2 in.
Seasonal Life in Independence
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a good time to see how wetter conditions affect drainage, yards, commuting and the usability of outdoor spaces.
Summer
Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.
Fall
Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.
Winter
Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
County Intelligence
Independence & Its Counties
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
Independence spans Clay and Jackson counties.
Living in a community that crosses county lines can make location within Independence especially important. Property taxes, housing characteristics, public services and other county-level factors may vary depending on which part of the community you call home.
Current NarrowTheList data for Independence shows a population of about 121,740. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Clay County and Jackson County
How NarrowTheList uses it
NarrowTheList connects Independence with all 2 of its counties rather than assigning the community to only one. As additional county data becomes available, those differences can be compared alongside city-level information to help identify which parts of the area may better fit your priorities.
For someone considering a move to Independence, the available data currently points to comparatively attainable ownership costs relative to local income. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.
Sugar Creek, MO
4.8 miles away
Lake Tapawingo, MO
4.8 miles away
River Bend, MO
6.8 miles away
Blue Springs, MO
6.8 miles away
Birmingham, MO
7.7 miles away
Raytown, MO
8.6 miles away
Grain Valley, MO
8.8 miles away
Buckner, MO
8.9 miles away
Randolph, MO
9.0 miles away
Unity Village, MO
9.1 miles away