| Measure | IndependenceMissouri, United States Remove Independence | SalinaKansas, United States Remove Salina |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.2 | 5.8 |
| Connector Score | 8.2 | 6.5 |
| Safety | 1.0 | — |
| Affordability | 7.6 | 8.3 |
| Transportation | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 4.5 | 5.0 |
| Walkability | 4.2 | 6.4 |
| Things to do | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Food & dining | 4.5 | 3.8 |
| Places to stay | 6.0 | 5.3 |
| Nature & outdoors | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Scenic value | 4.5 | 4.0 |
| Family friendliness | 3.7 | 6.7 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 3.3 | 5.9 |
| Nightlife | 4.2 | 3.6 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.0 | 5.7 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 5.8 |
| Train-trip convenience | 6.1 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 6.8 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $90 | $80 |
| Mid-range | $134 | $125 |
| Luxury | $230 | $207 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 89 | 82 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $975 | $825 |
| Median home price | $230,000 | $204,000 |
| Population | 122K | 46K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Bus Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Independence | — | 4 h 5 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | History | Budget stays |
| Known for | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Live music, Shopping | Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Live music, Pro sports, Shopping, Family & kids |
| When to go | Peak: Spring to fall and Santa-Cali-Gon Days | Peak: Summer road-trip season and the Smoky H… |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.