64053 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
64053
63135
Opportunity
57 · Top 45%
vs56 · Top 46%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs17 · Bottom 5%
Climate
66 · Bottom 38%
vs68 · Bottom 41%
Physical resilience
72 · Top 34%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
91 · Bottom 45%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
24 · Bottom 4%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 64053 | 63135 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,775 | 18,381 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,285 | $52,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,010 | $30,248 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,501/sq mi | 2,962/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $80,200 | $107,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $989 | $1,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.7% | 54.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.6% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 32.6% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 72 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.1" | 41.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 25.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.6 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.05 | 15.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.0% | 81.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
64053
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
63135
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 64053 — Independence, MO · 63135 — Ferguson, MO · How this is calculated: methodology