Independence, Missouri Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Independence, MO Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
-
C
Income Below average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Independence | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 120,545 | 6,186,340 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1537.1 | 88.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.49% | 0.28% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.9 | 37.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 50,988 | 2,507,647 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Independence grew by 0.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 120,545 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Independence is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 21.2% of residents. That is about the same share as Missouri.
- Gen Z 13–28 24,522 20.3% -0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 25,537 21.2% on par
- Gen X 45–60 23,030 19.1% -0.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 20,719 17.2% -0.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Missouri, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.6% of the people living in Independence and men 48.4%.
- Women 51.6% Missouri 50.7%
- Men 48.4% Missouri 49.3%
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Economy
Independence has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Independence | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,502 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.92% | 4.56% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Independence is about 15% lower than in Missouri.
Housing
| Metric | Independence | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $134,139 | $145,462 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,112 | $1,033 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 68.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Independence is about 10.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,112 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Independence spend about 46 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 190 hours, about 7.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Independence | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.8 | 21.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.6 | 41.9 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 190 | 175 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,891 | $5,415 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 15,801 | 7,545 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,622 | 923 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Independence is 23 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Missouri.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Independence has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Independence | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 28.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.36 | 2.40 | 2.53 |
Health
Independence has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Independence | Missouri Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.9 | 76.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 18.4% | 19.0% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.5% | 22.8% | 19.0% |
Independence, MO Compared With Nearby Cities
How Independence, MO compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence, MO | 120,545 | $60,502 #2/2 | $134,139 #2/2 | 22.8 min #1/2 |
| Blue Springs, MO | 48,094 | $86,829 | $224,353 | 23.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Independence, Missouri.
How big is Independence, Missouri by population?
About 120,545 people live in Independence, Missouri, in 50,988 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 36.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Independence, Missouri mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Independence, Missouri has 1,537 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 18 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Independence, Missouri an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.2 times the median household income ($134,139 against $60,502), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,112 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How common is a college degree in Independence, Missouri?
18.4% of adults in Independence, Missouri hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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