Independence ranks #5 in Oregon for library visits
Independence is ranked on 38 lists against the 147 Oregon towns with 2,500+ residents. It makes the top 10 on 1 and the top quarter on 1.
Younger than 97% of Oregon
Not better or worse, just Independence’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
Independence out-ranks 0 of its 1 ranked neighbors
Head to head on the lists where both towns are ranked: a point for each list where one town places higher. Tap a town for its own rankings.
Independence lands in the top half on 10 of 24 lists
Each dot is Independence’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in OR, the right end is last. Areas where Independence does best come first.
2 spots from the top 3 for library visits
Lists where Independence sits just outside a milestone, and what it would take to get in.
The lists Independence does best on
Each list ranks every OR town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Independence marked.
Every OR list, and where Independence lands
40 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Safety
Safest#1 Gervais · 10.2
#20 
Libraries
Most-used libraries#1 Seaside · 13.7 per resident
#5
Most library borrowing#1 Stayton · 17.8 per resident
#19
Best libraries for kids#1 Eugene · 38.4 per child
#18 Health
Healthiest#1 Bethany · 99 / 100
#70
Lowest obesity#1 Eagle Crest · 25%
#64
Fewest smokers#1 Lake Oswego · 6%
#72
Most active#1 West Haven-Sylvan · 14%
#80
Fewest uninsured#1 Lake Oswego · 4%
#131
Lowest depression#1 Bethany · 20%
#78
Closest to a top hospital#1 Hood River · 0.3 mi
#93 Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Burns · 2.3 yrs
#49
E
Cheapest rent#1 Estacada · $682/mo
#104
Lowest property tax#1 Tri-City · $1,418/yr
#87
Rent easiest to afford#1 Junction City · 31.5%
People
Most educated#1 Lake Oswego · 74.8%
#72
Youngest#1 Nyssa · 25.1
#5
Oldest#1 Eagle Crest · 67.7
#143
Most residents 65+#1 Eagle Crest · 60.3%
#134
Most kids#1 Nyssa · 40.6%
#55 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 Lakeview · 7.3 min
#96 Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Eagle Crest · 35%
#110
Most new homes#1 Phoenix · 21.7 per 1,000
#55
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Baker City · +77.2%
#24
Housing hasn't kept up#1 Wood Village · 8.2 per home
#61 
The number on the right is Independence’s spot. All of Oregon’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every OR list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.