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%

Salem Township$470/mo

Typical home $81K (Census) · tax rate 0.69% · or rent about $565/mo · Housing →

Independence Township$670/mo

Typical home $114K (Census) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $639/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Independence Township and Salem Township.

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

Salem Township and Independence Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Salem TownshipIndependence Township

Salem Township ↔ Independence Township12 miles apart · They share a border · Same county

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

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

Schools

C−Salem TownshipBetter than 15% of districts in the state C−Independence TownshipBetter than 20% of districts in the state

Health

D−Salem TownshipHealthier than 2% of U.S. towns D−Independence TownshipHealthier than 3% of U.S. towns

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

Salem TownshipIndependence Township

Snow a year4″3″

January low—30°F

July high—90°F

Growing season (days)—240d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)81st 84th

Outdoors & history

Salem TownshipIndependence Township

Trails9 mi 63 mi

Conserved land3.9%2.6%

Settled1845 —

Archive photos10 6

Community

Salem TownshipIndependence Township

Library hours a week20 hrs 48 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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.

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 Missouri average

Salem TownshipIndependence Township

People

Population 2,439Lowest 11,960Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -15.1%Lowest MO: +2.8% -5.6%Highest MO: +2.8%

Median age 37±5.7Lowest 5% below MO 41.8±2.4Highest 7% above MO

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

Kids under 18 28.7%±4.7Highest MO: 22.3% 24.7%±3.1Lowest MO: 22.3%

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

Age 65+ 17.2%±3.1Lowest MO: 17.9% 20.2%±2.4Highest MO: 17.9%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.9%Lowest MO: 32.4% 16.2%Highest MO: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±1.7Lowest MO: 5.7% 2.4%±0.8Highest MO: 5.7%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $40,352±$9kLowest 43% below MO $55,521±$8kHighest 21% below MO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $80,700±$17kLowest 65% below MO $114,400±$13kHighest 50% below MO

Rentmedian gross, monthly $565±$117Lowest 45% below MO $639±$99Highest 38% below MO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $554Lowest 72% below MO $867Highest 55% below MO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.4%±8.4Highest MO: 45.6% 29.5%±9Lowest MO: 45.6%

Below poverty line 23.1%Highest MO: 12.6% 18.4%Lowest MO: 12.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 64%Highest MO: 68.1% 61.3%Lowest MO: 68.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 5 yrs older than MO 1970Lowest 8 yrs older than MO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 16% above MO 22 minLowest 7% below MO

Work from home 2.2%±1.9Lowest MO: 13% 3.4%±1.7Highest MO: 13%

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

Work in townworking residents 13.2%Lowest 36.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 16.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Lowest 0.96Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Kennett (12%)Kennett (36%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Independence TownshipFew work in Salem Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 3.9%Highest 2.6%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 8.8 miLowest 62.7 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.6 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 7Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.8Lowest 8.4Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#176 of 226 in MO

School district SENATH-HORNERSVILLE C-8KENNETT 39

High school in town Senath-Hornersville High SchooKennett High

Students per teacherat that high school 12.3Lowest 14.7Highest

Missouri 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.

Salem Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem Township’s Town Square.

Independence Township neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Independence Township can answer.

Add a town

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Bordering Salem Township

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Clay Township1,101 people · $69K homes

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Buffalo Township1,154 people · $81K homes

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Arbyrd432 people · $47K homes

Towns like Salem Township

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Campbell1,766 people · $75K homes

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Hanley Hills2,178 people · $73K homes

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Vandalia3,140 people · $85K homes

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Bloomfield2,069 people · $67K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Missouri 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.

Salem Township vs Independence Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Independence Township

Salem Township and Independence Township share a border

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Salem Township and Independence Township

Bordering Salem Township

Towns like Salem Township

Post to Salem Township

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