City profile · Ohio · Census ACS 2023

Independence, OH

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Independence - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

7,543
Residents
$114,049
Median income
$305,500
Median home
$1,279
Median rent (state)

Independence - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Independence places in the 85th percentile for household income and the 50th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

85th
percentile, household income
66th
percentile, home value
44th
percentile, median rent
50th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Independence, OH

Ohio's Independence is a small town, with 7,543 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $114,049 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.2%. Independence's housing stock carries a median value of $305,500, and the median resident age is 48.7 years. About 51.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 62.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Independence (Construction Slowdown), down 96% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Independence reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1358.2 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Ohio run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Ohio scores 92.8 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,279 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Ohio's average monthly utility costs around $228 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

7,543 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Ohio

Median Household Income

$114,049 /yr

Poverty 1.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

92.8 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Ohio average

How does Independence compare to other US cities?

Here's how Independence stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 85% higher than other cities
Home value 66% pricier than other cities
Median rent 44% pricier than other cities
Safety 50% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Ohio and the picture shifts: Independence ranks #162 of 281 Ohio cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Independence's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Ohio, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

85thIncome percentile
50thSafety percentile

85th percentile nationally for median household income · 50th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Independence's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Independence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 60 Avg. percentile National median
Independence's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Independence's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$305,500 34th percentile more affordable than 34% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Independence $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Independence, OH Independence, OH's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Independence, OH-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Independence, OH median $114,049/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Independence, OH's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Independence, OH. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 51.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
7,543
Median Income
$114,049
Median Home Value
$305,500
Median Age
48.7
Poverty Rate
1.2%
Labor force participation
62.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
51.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1358.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
159.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1198.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,400 residents7,450 residents7,500 residents7,550 residents7,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,584 residents 7,456 residents ▼ -1.7%
Independence's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 27
2020 16
2021 25
2022 2
2023 2
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 96% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.6%
Carpool
8.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
17.1%
Other
1.2%

Based on 3,891 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Ohio - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$78
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$228
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Ohio state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Ohio state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Independence sits in

Cost of Living Index
92.8
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,279/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Ohio

Northridge
7,546 people
Uniontown
7,571 people
Hubbard
7,600 people
Kenton
7,607 people
Canfield
7,651 people
Fairlawn
7,689 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Independence's 7,543 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Gresham Park, GA
7,544 people
Hughson, CA
7,541 people
Inverness, IL
7,541 people
Blandon, PA
7,546 people
Mount Sterling, KY
7,549 people
Monahans, TX
7,536 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Independence's $114,049 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Norton Center, MA
$114,051 median income
Hugo, MN
$114,057 median income
Hopatcong, NJ
$114,057 median income
Mesa Vista, CA
$114,063 median income
Bellefonte, KY
$114,063 median income
Fairlee, MD
$114,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Independence, OH Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Independence, OH - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.2% White 90.2% Black or African American 1.3% Asian 2.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 5.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Independence compares to nearby Ohio cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Independence (this city) 7,543 $114,049
Northridge 7,546 $77,130
Uniontown 7,571 $97,976
Hubbard 7,600 $62,468
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OH FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Independence, OH?

What is the population of Independence, OH? +

Independence, OH counts 7,543 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Independence, OH? +

The median household income in Independence is $114,049 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Independence? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Independence; the closest available measure is the Ohio state average, a cost of living index of 92.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Ohio vary by metro area.

Is Independence, OH safe? +

Independence has a total crime rate of 1358.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Independence, OH? +

Independence's median home value sits at $305,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.