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Independence, KS

Full City Profile · Kansas · Montgomery County County

3.2 /5.0
B Good
8,469 Population 1,131/sq mi density
$49,164 Median Income $29,603 per capita
$78,500 Home Value $112,442 Zillow
$790 Median Rent 28.0% income on rent
58°F Avg Temperature 305 sunny days/yr
989 Violent Crime/100K 4,696 property/100K
B
Overall
3.2 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.6 / 5.0
$49,164 median income, 2.3% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$78,500 home value, $790/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
989 violent crimes/100K (160% above avg)
B
Education
3.1 / 5.0
26.4% bachelor's degree or higher

Independence, KS

At a Glance

Median Income
$49,164
35% below
$29,603 per capita
Home Value
$78,500
72% below
Zillow: $112,442
Median Rent
$790/mo
32% below
28.0% of income on rent
Violent Crime
989/100K
160% above
4,696/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
26.4%
22% below
91.8% high school+
Unemployment
2.3%
36% below
12.0% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
38.5%
20% above
17.3% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
58°F
305 sunny days/yr

How Independence Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Independence's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
65%
Home Value
28%
Rent
68%
Poverty
97%
Bachelor's
78%
Unemployment
64%
Crime
260%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Independence a Good Place to Live?

B
3.2 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Independence residents earn a median household income of $49,164 , which is 35% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $29,603. The unemployment rate stands at 2.3% (36% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 12.0% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,228 business establishments, including 72 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Independence is $78,500 , 72% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $112,442. Median rent is $790/month, with 28.0% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 90.1 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1954.

Safety & Crime

Independence reports 989 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 160% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 4,696/100K. The murder rate is 11.8/100K.

Education

26.4% of adults in Independence hold a bachelor's degree or higher (22% below the national average). 91.8% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.4/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Independence has an average annual temperature of 58°F (14°C). Winters average 34°F in January while summers reach 80°F in July. The area gets 305 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 45.4 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 39.

Data Overview

People

Population8,469
Median Age38.3 yrs
Density1,131/mi²
Male / Female50% / 50%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans8.2%

Economy

B+
Median Income$49,164
Per Capita$29,603
Unemployment2.3%
Poverty12.0%
County GDP$2,997M
Avg Weekly Wage$890

Housing

A+
Home Value$78,500
Rent$790
Ownership69.9%
Zillow$112,442
Housing Units4,595
Rent Burden28.0%

Crime

F
Violent989/100K
Property4,696/100K
Murder11.8/100K
Assault836/100K
Burglary1,095/100K

Health

Obesity38.5%
Diabetes10.6%
Smoking17.3%
Heart Disease5.9%
Premature Death12,899/100K

Climate

Avg Temp58°F
Sunny Days305/yr
Rain45.4 in/yr
AQI39 (Good)
Elevation800 ft

Education

B
Bachelor's+26.4%
High School+91.8%
Graduate+12.6%
School Score5.4/10

Community

2024 VoteR 75% / D 24%
Commute15 min
Broadband86.2%
Internet Speed70 Mbps
EV Stations1
Libraries4

Did You Know?

Independence was founded in 1869.
The median home in Independence was built in 1954.
The nearest airport is Miami Regional (51 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.431 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
22.6% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 7 fatal vehicle crashes.