Residential comparison · 13 facts
Independence, MO vs Kansas City, MO
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Independence needs about $88,500 in Kansas City to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Kansas City, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $81,500 in Independence.
A few differences
- Independence is lower on property tax rate (0.88% vs 1.35%).
- Independence is lower on sales tax (8.4% vs 8.85%).
- Kansas City is higher on median household income ($65,000 vs $60,339).
Independence vs Kansas City · facet by facet
| Facet | Independence, MO | Kansas City, MO |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $172,900 | $260,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,080/mo | $1,400/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.88% | 1.35% |
| State & local income tax | 2.95% | 3.95% |
| Sales tax | 8.4% | 8.85% |
| Cost of living index | 79 | 89 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $60,339 | $65,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.7% |
| Crime index | 55/100 | 58/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 205 days | 215 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Independence, MO · Kansas City, MO
Questions & answers
- Is Independence cheaper than Kansas City?
- Independence has the lower day-to-day cost index (79 vs 89 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Kansas City equals $85,000 in Independence?
- A household earning $85,000 in Independence needs about $88,500 in Kansas City to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Kansas City lifestyle costs about $81,500 in Independence.