Woodburn receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Woodburn
Independence
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs27 · Bottom 14%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 19%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 32%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Woodburn | Independence | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,875 | 10,199 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,347 | $85,375 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,787 | $31,794 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,498/sq mi | 3,394/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,800 | $378,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,489 | $1,665 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 54.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 271 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.7 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -47.1% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.5" | 40.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 51 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 30.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.64 | 20.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.7% | 94.1% | 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
Woodburn
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Independence
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Woodburn
62
Your Score
60
Area Score
Independence
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Woodburn, OR · Independence, OR · How this is calculated: methodology