A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Report cards

Independence places higher on 11 of 19 OH lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Ohio ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

B−IndependenceSafer than 54% of U.S. towns –Munson TownshipNot graded

Schools

AIndependenceBetter than 93% of districts in the state AMunson TownshipBetter than 92% of districts in the state

Health

AIndependenceHealthier than 94% of U.S. towns B+Munson TownshipHealthier than 74% of U.S. towns

11Independence

8Munson Township

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 624 towns #577#62 Shortest commuteGetting around · 1041 towns #420#809 Most walkableOutdoors · 1041 towns #422#728 Most trailsOutdoors · 730 towns #395#567 Highest graduation rateSchools · 911 towns #23#227 Most activeHealth · 1041 towns #20#183 HealthiestHealth · 1041 towns #32#180 Fewest smokersHealth · 1041 towns #48#177

Left end = #1 in Ohio. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Independence’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Independence$2,440/mo

Typical home $373K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.57% · or rent about $1,383/mo · Housing →

Munson Township$2,420/mo

Typical home $374K (Census) · tax rate 1.47% · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

22 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

IndependenceMunson Township

Independence ↔ Munson Township22 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Ohio average

IndependenceMunson Township

People

Population 7,534Highest 7,093Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Lowest OH: +2.3% +7%Highest OH: +2.3%

Median age 48.4±2.3Highest 22% above OH 48.1±4.4Lowest 21% above OH

Independence and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 19.2%±3.5Lowest OH: 22% 21.1%±4.6Highest OH: 22%

Munson Township and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 25.5%±4.3Highest OH: 18.3% 23.8%±4.4Lowest OH: 18.3%

Independence and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 47.4%Lowest OH: 31.5% 50%Highest OH: 31.5%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4%±1.8 OH: 5.6% 4%±2.2 OH: 5.6%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $115,733±$11kLowest 62% above OH $139,205±$22kHighest 95% above OH

Munson Township and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $309,900±$33kLowest 44% above OH $374,100±$32kHighest 74% above OH

Munson Township and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,383±$233 34% above OH —

Property taxmedian, yearly $4,870Lowest 73% above OH $5,509Highest 95% above OH

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 24.2%±14.6Lowest OH: 45.9% 83.7%±38.6Highest OH: 45.9%

Below poverty line 2.4% OH: 13.3% 2.4% OH: 13.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 90.4%Lowest OH: 67.2% 94%Highest OH: 67.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 10 yrs older than OH 1987Highest 17 yrs newer than OH

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 3% below OH 27 minHighest 17% above OH

Work from home 18.7%±5.3Lowest OH: 13% 21.5%±7.1Highest OH: 13%

Munson Township and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 11.4%Highest 6.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 14.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 6.40Highest 0.86Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Cleveland (25%)Cleveland (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Munson TownshipFew work in Independence

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 14.9%Lowest 15%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 2.8 mi 2.8 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Lowest 11Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 31.5Highest 6.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #577 of 624 in OH #62 of 624 in OH

School district Independence Local · Gateway Online Academy of OhioChardon Local

High school in town Gateway Online Academy of OhioNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 26.7 —

Ohio average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Independence neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Independence’s Town Square.

Munson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Munson Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Independence and Munson Township

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Bordering Independence

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Valley View1,925 people · $305K homes

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Towns like Independence

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Granger Township4,593 people · $437K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Ohio towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Independence vs Munson Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Munson Township gets 50 more inches of snow a year

Independence places higher on 11 of 19 OH lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

22 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Independence and Munson Township

Bordering Independence

Towns like Independence

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