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Compare towns

St. Joseph vs Independence

53 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+51.4 pts in St. Joseph) and property tax bill (+56% in Independence).

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St. Joseph, MOA history townMissouri · 71,236 people
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Independence, MOA history townMissouri · 121,740 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

St. JosephA history town
HistorySettled in 184360 places on the National Register Outdoors#27 most trails in MO41 miles of trails across 35 parks and preserves Famous people52 notable peopleborn in St. Joseph All about St. Joseph →
IndependenceA history town
HistorySettled in 182726 places on the National Register Famous people64 notable peopleborn in Independence Outdoors#45 most conserved land in MO46 miles of trails across 51 parks and preserves All about Independence →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Work in town+51.4 pts
More of St. Joseph’s workers stay in town
St. Joseph 67.5%Independence 16.1%
Property tax bill+56%
Tax bills are bigger in Independence
Independence $1,914St. Joseph $1,225
Growth since 2010+10.9 pts
Independence has grown faster since 2010
Independence +5.3%St. Joseph -5.6%
Jobs per worker2.1×
St. Joseph is more of a job hub
St. Joseph 1.40Independence 0.68
Rent+23%
Rent runs higher in Independence
Independence $1,109St. Joseph $898
Average commute7 min
St. Joseph has the shorter commute
Independence 24 minSt. Joseph 17 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Independence

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.

St. Joseph$1,090/mo
Typical home $184K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $898/mo · Housing →
Independence$1,310/mo
Typical home $213K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,109/mo · Housing →

The difference: $220 a month, about $2,700 a year, between Independence and St. Joseph.

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.

Report cards

St. Joseph places higher on 12 of 22 MO lists

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.

Safety
DSt. JosephSafer than 6% of U.S. towns DIndependenceSafer than 14% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−St. JosephBetter than 17% of districts in the state C+IndependenceBetter than 38% of districts in the state
Health
DSt. JosephHealthier than 14% of U.S. towns C−IndependenceHealthier than 18% of U.S. towns
12St. Joseph
10Independence

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest obesityHealth · 261 towns #228#94 Shortest commuteGetting around · 261 towns #39#171 Fastest growingGrowth · 260 towns #210#87 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #92#203 Lowest property taxCost of living · 259 towns #90#170 Most remote workersWork · 255 towns #156#81 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 261 towns #36#108 Most trailsOutdoors · 151 towns #27#68

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

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
St. JosephIndependence
Snow a year21″13″
January low17°F19°F
July high87°F87°F
Growing season (days)182d198d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th43rd
Outdoors & history
St. JosephIndependence
Trails41 mi46 mi
Conserved land4.2%4.8%
Settled18431827
National Register places6026
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here5264
Community
St. JosephIndependence
Library hours a week64 hrs69 hrs
Colleges in town1—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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.

Where they are

53 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

St. JosephMOIndependenceMO
St. Joseph ↔ Independence53 miles apart
Who commutes between them
266 St. Joseph residents work in Independence (0.9% of its workers)
Work & commute in St. Joseph →
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.

St. JosephIndependence
People
Population 71,236Lowest 121,740Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.6%Lowest MO: +2.8% +5.3%Highest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.1±0.5Lowest about the MO average 39±1.1Highest about the MO average
Independence and St. Joseph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.1%±0.8Lowest MO: 22.3% 22.8%±1.1Highest MO: 22.3%
Independence and St. Joseph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.8%±0.8Lowest MO: 17.9% 18.7%±0.9Highest MO: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23%Highest MO: 32.4% 21.9%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.3%±0.7Highest MO: 5.7% 3.5%±0.6Lowest MO: 5.7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $57,956±$3kLowest 18% below MO $60,339±$2kHighest 15% below MO
Independence and St. Joseph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $154,200±$5kLowest 33% below MO $172,900±$3kHighest 25% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $898±$31Lowest 13% below MO $1,109±$30Highest 7% above MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,225Lowest 37% below MO $1,914Highest about the MO average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.7%±5.2Lowest MO: 45.6% 53.1%±4.7Highest MO: 45.6%
Independence and St. Joseph are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.7%Highest MO: 12.6% 15.8%Lowest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.8%Highest MO: 68.1% 60.9%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 16 yrs older than MO 1967Highest 11 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 28% below MO 24 minHighest about the MO average
Work from home 7.1%±1.2Lowest MO: 13% 12.3%±1.5Highest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents 67.5%Highest 16.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 3.8 miLowest 10.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.40Highest 0.68Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (7%)Kansas City (33%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in IndependenceFew work in St. Joseph
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.2%Lowest 4.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 41.1 miLowest 45.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 35Lowest 51Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 68.3Highest 54.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #179 of 226 in MO#169 of 226 in MO
School district DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONSBLUE SPRINGS R-IV · FORT OSAGE R-I
High school in town Central HighTruman High
Students per teacherat that high school 16.4Lowest 18.6Highest
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.

St. Joseph neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to St. Joseph’s Town Square.

Independence neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 4d

Choosing a School in Independence

1 neighbor in Independence can answer.

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Bordering St. Joseph

W
+ Compare
Washington Township, KS2,922 people · $125K homes

Towns like St. Joseph

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Florissant51,773 people · $149K homes
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Joplin52,593 people · $168K homes
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Raytown29,445 people · $183K homes
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Blue Springs59,965 people · $263K homes

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.

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