Independence receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Independence
Forest Park
Opportunity: Forest Park is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth: Independence is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs19 · Bottom 7%
Climate: Independence is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
69 · Bottom 45%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience: Forest Park is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
79 · Top 26%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability: Independence is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs94 · Top 23%
Access: Independence is the more favorable of the two.
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability: Independence is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
75 · Top 16%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Independence | Forest Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,392 | 20,025 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $102,361 | $75,956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,714 | $32,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,657/sq mi | 3,105/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,700 | $190,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,250 | $1,306 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.8% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.4% | 26.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 127 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.3" | 41.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.7 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.07 | 15.29 | 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
Independence
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Forest Park
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Independence
80
Your Score
77
Area Score
Forest Park
72
Your Score
70
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Independence, KY · Forest Park, OH · How this is calculated: methodology