Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Independence, MO

Population: 122,218 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

A
80/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$999.2M
Per Capita
$8,176
Total Revenue
$4.7B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
33.9%$338.5M
Other
29.4%$294.2M
Utilities
19.6%$195.4M
Parks & Recreation
7.5%$74.7M
Hospitals
5.0%$49.6M
Public Welfare
4.2%$42.2M
Fire Protection
0.5%$4.8M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.0%$152K
Sales Tax
1.3%$58.7M
Intergovernmental
100.0%$4.7B
Charges & Fees
7.3%$343.0M
Other
10.4%$485.2M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$39/person
Parks & Recreation$611/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)0/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Independence stacks up against another city.

vs Kansas City, MOvs St. Louis, MOvs Springfield, MO
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Missouri

Kansas City, MO

Pop. 506K

C
Total Spending
$11.5B
Per Capita
$22,820

St. Louis, MO

Pop. 298K

B
Total Spending
$5.3B
Per Capita
$17,927

Springfield, MO

Pop. 169K

A
Total Spending
$2.7B
Per Capita
$15,703

Columbia, MO

Pop. 126K

B
Total Spending
$1.7B
Per Capita
$13,757

Compare Independence With

Kansas City, MO

Spending: $22,820/person · Grade: C

St. Louis, MO

Spending: $17,927/person · Grade: B

Springfield, MO

Spending: $15,703/person · Grade: A

Columbia, MO

Spending: $13,757/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Independence, MO spends $8,176 per resident, based on total expenditures of $999.2M for a population of 122,218. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (80/100).

Independence, MO has total expenditures of $999.2M and total revenue of $4.7B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Independence, MO employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Independence, MO has a Fiscal Health Score of A (80/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: