Liberty receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gladstone
Liberty
Opportunity
78 · Top 10%
vs83 · Top 5%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs66 · Bottom 36%
Physical resilience
84 · Top 18%
vs84 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 13%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs71 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Gladstone | Liberty | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,207 | 30,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,271 | $88,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,839 | $40,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,367/sq mi | 1,035/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $231,500 | $283,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,088 | $1,160 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.4% | 73.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.7% | 39.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.0% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 62 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -32.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.1" | 38.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Gladstone
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Liberty
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Gladstone, MO · Liberty, MO · How this is calculated: methodology