Independence, Missouri population is 121,675 as of July 1, 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimate), ranking #251 nationally and #5 in Missouri. Cost of living runs 7.5% below the U.S. average (BEA RPP 2024); a family of four needs roughly $62,850/yr to break even (2025 modeled). This profile draws on 13 federal datasets covering population, housing, income, employment, climate, and risk.
At a glance.
2025 population
121,675
-269 in the last year
Top 2% of 19,483 U.S. cities
Census Vintage 2025
Cost of living
RPP 92.5
−7.5% vs US
Kansas City, MO-KS metro · BEA 2024
Family-of-4 budget
$62,850/yr
−22% vs US
Modeled 2025 · federal sources
Median HH income
$60,339
−22% vs US
ACS 2020–2024 5-yr
Median home value
$172,900
−43% vs US
ACS 2020–2024 5-yr
2-BR fair-market rent
$1,358/mo
HUD FY2026 · 40th pct
Avg July high
88°F
NOAA 1991–2020
Gigabit broadband
98%
ISP-reported, FCC BDC
Explore Independence, MO demographics, including age, race and ethnicity, households, origins, language, and education.
How many people live in Independence?
121,675 people live in Independence as of July 1, 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025), the #251 largest U.S. city.
How big is Independence?
Independence covers 78.0 square miles of land and 0.4 square miles of water. Its population density is about 1,560 residents per square mile of land. Compare U.S. cities by land area →
Source detail: 2025 population
2025 population
Source agency
U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
Dataset
Census PEP
Vintage / period
Vintage 2025 (Jul 1, 2025)
Native geography
Census PEP subcounty place records for the included city universe.
Transformation
Copied from POPESTIMATE2025, joined by Census GEOID, and used for ranks, filters, and city pages.
Known limit: Annual estimate, not a decennial count; each new PEP vintage can revise the prior series.
Population shrank 1.0% from the April 2020 base to mid-2025.
Vintage 2025 · annual estimates
Recent history (V2025 series, 2020 base → 2025).
2020 base: 122,954 → 2025: 121,675 (-1.0%)
Year
Population
Reference date
2020 base
122,954
April 1, 2020
2020
122,866
July 1, 2020
2021
122,202
July 1, 2021
2022
121,083
July 1, 2022
2023
121,213
July 1, 2023
2024
121,944
July 1, 2024
2025
121,675
July 1, 2025
Earlier history (2010–2019, prior Census vintage)
These figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2019 release — a separate, earlier methodology. They’re shown here as historical context only; the 2010 and 2019 values aren’t directly comparable to the 2020–2025 series above.
Population shrank 0.2% from the July 2010 estimate to 2019 (V2019 — see seam note below).
Independence is the #251 largest of 19,483 U.S. cities and #5 in Missouri.
▸Show the analyst detail (9 rows)
Measure
Value
Note
2020 base
122,954
April 1, 2020 census base
5-yr change
-1,279
2020 base → 2025; within V2025
5-yr change %
-1.0%
within V2025 only
1-yr change
-269
2024 → 2025 estimate
1-yr change %
-0.2%
within V2025 only
Density
1,560
people per sq mi, land only
Land area
78
sq mi (2025 Gazetteer)
U.S. rank by population
#251
of 19,483 cities
State rank by population
#5
of 936 in Missouri
What is the median household income in Independence?
Median household income is 22% below the U.S. median ($60,339 vs $77,719); 15.8% live in poverty — 3.3 points above the 12.5% U.S. rate.
Median household income$60,339
US
Independence: $60,339 — 22% below the US median of $77,719.
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of cities with ACS income data
Independence
$60,339
United States
$77,719
Income and poverty estimates for Independence from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates (window 2020–2024). Every figure is shown with its 90% margin of error (MOE). Cells where the ± margin exceeds half the estimate are flagged "low precision." See methodology §12.
Measure
Estimate
± margin / note
Median household income
60,339-22.4% vs US
±2,199
Per capita income
32,713-24.4% vs US
±1,109
Population in poverty
15.8%
share of population for whom poverty status is determined
Median home value is 43% below the U.S. median ($172,900 vs $303,400); median rent is 18% below ($1,109 vs $1,348); price-to-income ratio is 2.9×, making it 1.4× as affordable as the typical U.S. city (3.9×).
Median home value$172,900
US
Independence: $172,900 — 43% below the US median of $303,400.
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of cities with ACS home-value data
HUD 2-BR fair-market rent$1,358/mo
US
Independence: $1,358/mo — 26% above the US median of $1,077/mo.
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of cities with a HUD Fair Market Rent
Poverty (Census SAIPE 2024, model-based), unemployment (BLS LAUS 2024 annual averages), and remote-work share (ACS 2020–2024) for Independence. Numbers are labeled at their native grain — place-grain when BLS publishes it, otherwise per-county. We do not compute population-weighted county averages. See methodology §13.
Measure
Value
Grain
Unemployment rate (annual avg)
4.3%
Independence (BLS sub-state LAUS)
Civilian labor force
59,833
2024 annual avg
Worked from home
12.3%-11.9% vs US
share of workers 16+ commuting from home · U.S. median: 14% · ACS
County context — Independence spans 2 counties; all are listed (no weighted average):
County
Poverty rate
Median HH income
Unemployment
Clay County
8.9%
$88,044
3.2%
Jackson County
14.3%
$70,661
3.9%
Top industries by private employment — NAICS supersectors rolled up from Independence's linked 2 counties in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW, 2024 annual averages). See methodology §11.
#
Industry (NAICS supersector)
Private employment
Avg weekly wage
#1
Health care and social assistance (62)
66,822
$1,242 / wk
#2
Retail trade (44-45)
47,920
$746 / wk
#3
Accommodation and food services (72)
46,709
$554 / wk
#4
Manufacturing (31-33)
44,902
$1,593 / wk
#5
Professional and technical services (54)
41,292
$2,223 / wk
What workers earn in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro — top occupations by employment plus six curated benchmarks (registered nurse, software developer, elementary teacher, general manager, retail salesperson, truck driver). Wages are metro-area medians from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). See methodology §25.
General and Operations Managers is the largest tracked occupation in the Kansas City, MO-KS metro (31,080 jobs, median $90,490/yr).
▸Show all 12 occupations
Occupation
Employment
Median annual
Median hourly
Cashiers
24,160
$30,700
$14.76
Stockers and Order Fillers
23,580
$36,850
$17.72
Customer Service Representatives
22,240
$44,350
$21.32
Home Health and Personal Care Aides
20,870
$32,780
$15.76
Fast Food and Counter Workers
20,120
$29,560
$14.21
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
19,070
$41,700
$20.05
General and Operations Managers · benchmark
31,080
$90,490
$43.51
Registered Nurses · benchmark
29,650
$83,040
$39.92
Retail Salespersons · benchmark
26,110
$34,320
$16.50
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers · benchmark
18,230
$60,170
$28.93
Software Developers · benchmark
12,160
$124,990
$60.09
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education · benchmark
All items run 7.5% below the U.S. average (RPP 92.5); rents run 13.4% below (RPP 86.6) — the metro's housing affordability is the main driver.
Cost of living (RPP, all items)RPP 92.5
US
Independence's cost of living runs 7.5% below the U.S. average (RPP 92.5 vs 100).
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of metro/non-metro areas with a BEA price parity
BEA Regional Price Parity (all items)
RPP 92.5
−7.5% vs U.S. average · BEA 2024 · Kansas City, MO-KS metro
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2-BR
$1,358/mo
FY2026 · Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area
State income tax (top marginal rate)
4.70%
8 brackets · TY2025
Family-of-four monthly budget total
$5,238/mo
3BR rent + food + taxes + transport (childcare not modeled — county outside NDCP 2022 coverage) · federal sources Note: family-of-four total excludes childcare — modeled NDCP counties typically add $1,500–$2,900/mo for two children at center-based preschool + school-age care.
Single-adult monthly budget total
$4,290/mo
1BR rent + food + taxes + transport · federal sources
Local income tax
—
not applicable in Missouri · no modeled local income tax
Household budget figures are arithmetic floors using current federal sources at the grains documented in methodology. Not a recommended salary, not a poverty threshold, not a composite score.
5.7% foreign-born (U.S. median 14%); Spanish is the most-spoken language at home other than English (7.7% of residents 5+).
A quick read on Independence's residents — nativity and languages spoken at home shown above, from the ACS 5-Year 2020–2024. The full demographic breakdown (age, race and ethnicity, household types, and educational attainment, each with its margin of error) lives on the demographics page.
These are K-12 public school districts. Higher education (colleges and universities) is not represented in this dataset.
Public school districts serving Independence, from the NCES EDGE Geographic Relationship Files (GRF25, 2024–25 school year boundaries). The join is many-to-many — large cities often span multiple districts, and one district often serves multiple cities. Sorted primary district first. See methodology §12 for the consolidated-city fallback and Milford CT special case.
Source: NCES EDGE GRF25 · school year 2024–25 · methodology →
What is the climate like in Independence?
Hottest month: July (88°F avg high). Coldest: January (20°F avg low). Annual precipitation: 41.0 in.
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) for Independence from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. See methodology §15 for the gridded vs. station source path.
Average monthly highs & lows · 30-year normal (NOAA 1991–2020). Every number on this chart is an average.
bar = avg daily high → avg daily lowprecip in inches below each barprecip in millimeters below each bar
Composite risk spans 89.8–96.5/100 across 2 counties; most-cited top hazard is Cold Wave (in 1 of 2).
Natural-hazard exposure for Independence from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index (FEMA NRI December 2025 v1.20.0). NRI is an expected-annual-loss composite calibrated on 1996–2019 historical losses, published at the U.S. county grain. See methodology §17.
Independence spans 2 counties. We list each separately because hurricane, flood, and fire risk varies meaningfully across county lines — manufacturing a single “city-level” risk score would hide that signal.
County
NRI composite
Rating
Top hazards
Clay County
89.8
Relatively Moderate
Cold Wave 97.7 Relatively High · Hail 97.4 Relatively High · Heat Wave 96.7 Relatively High
Jackson County
96.5
Relatively High
Tornado 99.5 Very High · Hail 99.4 Very High · Heat Wave 99.1 Relatively High
Source: FEMA National Risk Index · FEMA NRI December 2025 v1.20.0 · methodology →
How fast is home internet in Independence?
14 non-satellite ISPs serve the area; 98% of locations have gigabit-capable service per ISP filings.
Fixed broadband availability for Independence from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Data Collection (BDC), as of June 30, 2025. Every speed and provider count below is an ISP-reported advertised maximum — not measured throughput. Actual delivered speeds typically run 60–80% of advertised. See methodology §16.
Measure
Value
Note
Providers serving this city
14 + satellite
distinct ISPs, excluding satellite-only
Fiber providers
12
offer fiber-to-the-premises somewhere in the BDC
Units with ≥100/20 Mbps fixed
100.0%
share of broadband-serviceable units, ISP-reported max
Locations with ≥100 Mbps upload
97.8%
derived: max(fiber ≥100/20, gigabit). Fiber is symmetric; gigabit is ≥100 up by definition
Units with ≥1 Gbps fixed
97.8%
share of broadband-serviceable units, ISP-reported max
Total broadband-serviceable units
60,244
residential locations in the FCC Fabric (not households)
Source: FCC BDC · as of June 30, 2025 · methodology →
In-state context.
Independence sits at state rank #5 among 936 cities in Missouri. Nearby in the state ranking:
Just above in the profiled set: Berkeley, CA · #250 · 121,911 residents.
Just below in the profiled set: Billings, MT · #252 · 121,239 residents.
Quick travel facts for Independence
Quick travel facts.
Nearest commercial airport
Kansas City International Airport(MCI) · 25 mi 39 km from city centroid
Best months to visit
Oct · months when the avg high sits in 65–80°F and precipitation is at or below the city's median monthly precip
Sources: elevation from USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) · nearest airport from OurAirports CSV (FAA-aligned, type=large/medium, scheduled_service=yes) · best months derived from NOAA 1991-2020 normals · methodology →
Frequently asked questions about Independence.
How many people live in Independence, MO?
Independence has 121,675 residents as of July 1, 2025, making it the #251 largest city in the United States and #5 in Missouri. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025.
Is Independence growing or shrinking?
Independence has shrunk 1.0% since the April 2020 census baseline, losing 1,279 residents, including a 0.2% decline from 2024 to 2025. Source: Census PEP Vintage 2025.
What was Independence's population in the 2020 census?
Independence spans Clay County, Jackson County in Missouri.
How big is Independence?
Independence covers 78.0 square miles of land, with a population density of about 1,560 residents per square mile. Source: Census Gazetteer 2025.
What is the median household income in Independence?
$60,339, about 22% below the U.S. median. Source: ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024.
SourceU.S. Census · PEP
VintageV2025
Reference2025-07-01
Place typeIncorporated place
GEOID2935000
Last build2026-08-27
Sources · provenance
Every listed dataset is used on this page.
The GEOID for Independence is 2935000. These are the official datasets used by this profile's main data modules; click "methodology" for inclusion rules and the V2019 ↔ V2025 seam, or "source" for the raw publisher page. The headline population value above includes a source-detail disclosure with publisher, dataset, vintage, native geography, transformation, and caveat.
