Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Independence grades A overall, 136th of 987 graded towns in Ohio. The median household earns $116K. Residents are healthier than 94% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and its public schools beat 89% of Ohio towns on state tests and graduation. The catch is cost: the typical home is worth about $368K, 5.2 years of the Cleveland metro’s $71K median household income. 15% of the land in Independence is conserved, above both Ohio’s towns (3.7%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Independence has 6 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Ohio and Erie Canal and Independence Presbyterian Church. Independence's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Where Independence beats most towns.
Ohio and Erie Canal is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier.
Census counts: 262 in 1880, 7,584 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1853 and 6 maps from 1903 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Independence is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Independence. Close and well known come first.
Big draw10 mi MuseumRock and Roll Hall of Fame580K visitors a year
in town National ParkCuyahoga Valley National Park3.0M visitors a year
Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaProgressive Field
9 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Field
9 mi Stadium & arenaRocket Arena
9 mi MuseumCleveland Museum of Art410K visitors a yearRock and Roll Hall of Fame: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cuyahoga Valley National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Progressive Field: Jsawczuk, Public domain · Huntington Bank Field: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0 · Rocket Arena: Cards84664, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cleveland Museum of Art: zenbikescience, CC BY 2.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Independence, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Independence.
Independence draws workers from Cleveland and beyond and has less food insecurity than most of Ohio, but it has a long record of flood insurance claims.
Its widest gap with Ohio is food insecurity: 6.4% of its 5,973 adults worry about having enough food, against 14.1% statewide.
17% of adults get no exercise outside work in Independence, below both the Ohio town median (28%) and the median of U.S. towns (25%). 20% of adults binge drink in Independence. Independence beats the Ohio average on 22 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
| Independence | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 28% | 25% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Independence | OH |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.4% | 14.1% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.2% | 8.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.6% | 8.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The largest public high school is Alternative Education Academy, with 6,276 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Primary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 440 | A+ |
| Independence High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 305 | B+ |
| Independence Middle SchoolTop results in townGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 299 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
24,144 jobs are based in Independence, 6.4 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Most working residents leave Independence for work: only 11% work in town. 2.4% of Independence residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Independence grew to 24,144 in 2023, 1,980 more than in 2013.
| Independence | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $116,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 19% | 9.7% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.4% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 6.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The median property tax bill is $4,870, against $2,822 across Ohio, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The median rent in Independence is $1,383 a month. The typical Independence home is worth about $368,000, up 3.7% in a year, 50% above the Ohio typical home.
| Independence | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 77% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,383 a month | $943 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
195 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 21 properties have flooded more than once.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 86% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 195 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Independence.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
2.8 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Cuyahoga Valley National Park, at 1,269 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Elmwood Park | 1.5 mi | 43 |
| 2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park | 0.5 mi | 1,269 |
| 3. Brecksville Reservation | 0.1 mi | 47 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Independence has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Independence’s July high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
11 within 15 miles of the center of Independence
About 4 of every 100 Independence residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
Where Independence’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 places in Independence on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Ohio, United States
Independence is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 7,584 at the 2020 census. A suburb of Cleveland, it is a part of the Cleveland metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Independence.
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | #136 | A | C− | B− | A | A |
| Valley View | — | — | C | — | A | A |
| Cuyahoga Heights | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Seven Hills | #318 | B+ | C− | B+ | B− | A− |
| Brooklyn Heights | — | — | B− | — | A | A− |
| Brecksville | #23 | A+ | C− | A | A+ | A |
Valley View and Brooklyn Heights have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Valley View and Brooklyn Heights report no FBI crime data of their own. Cuyahoga Heights isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Independence with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
For most people who can afford it, yes. Independence grades A overall, better than 88% of U.S. towns and #136 of 987 in Ohio. It grades A for health, B− for safety and A for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
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