Independence is the 5th most populous city in Missouri and the county seat of Jackson County. Independence is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020, it had a total population of 123,011.
Independence is known as the "Queen City of the Trails" because it was a point of departure for the California, Oregon, and Santa Fe Trails. It is the hometown of U.S. President Harry S. Truman, with the Truman Presidential Library and Museum, and the gravesites of Truman and First Lady Bess Truman. The city is sacred to the Latter Day Saint movement, as the home of Joseph Smith's 1831 Temple Lot, and the headquarters of several Mormon denominations.
| Ethnicity | Independence | USA |
|---|---|---|
| White | 75.3% | 60.1% |
| African American | 8.5% | 12.2% |
| American Indian | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Asian | 1.3% | 5.6% |
| Hawaiian | 1.4% | 0.2% |
| Multiracial | 2.8% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic | 9.3% | 18.2% |
| Other | 1.1% | 0.3% |
| HOUSEHOLD INCOME | Independence | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | 6.1% | 5.8% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 4.2% | 4.1% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 11.4% | 8.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 11.3% | 8.6% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 16.1% | 12.0% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 19.9% | 17.2% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 12.5% | 12.8% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 12.6% | 15.6% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 3.6% | 7.1% |
| Education | Independence | USA |
|---|---|---|
| < 9th Grade | 3% | 5.0% |
| 9-12th Grade | 7% | 7.0% |
| High School or GED | 37% | 27.0% |
| Other College | 25% | 20.0% |
| Associate's Degree | 8% | 9% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 13% | 20.0% |
| Master's Degree | 6% | 9.0% |
| Professional Degree | 1% | 2.0% |
| Doctorate Degree | 0% | 1.0% |