Liberty receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Belton
Liberty
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs83 · Top 5%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
68 · Bottom 39%
vs66 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs84 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs98 · Top 13%
Schools
33 · Bottom 26%
vs61 · Top 38%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Belton | Liberty | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,008 | 30,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,226 | $88,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,303 | $40,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,735/sq mi | 1,035/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $203,200 | $283,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,290 | $1,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.0% | 73.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 39.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.7% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 45 | 62 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -25.0% | -32.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.7" | 38.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.01 | 14.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.6% | 38.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.2% | 55.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.2% | 24.1% | 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
Belton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Liberty
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Belton, MO · Liberty, MO · How this is calculated: methodology