Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Huntington Beach, CA
VS
Independence, MO
🏆 Huntington Beach leads 15 of 23 categories
Huntington Beach
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$114,747 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
197,481 ✓ Larger
Independence
Missouri
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,415
Violent Crime Index
150⚠ High
Population
122,218
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Huntington Beach, CA
Pros
Households earn $57,332 more per year on average
64% less violent crime than Independence
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (207.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 38°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.4%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $976,800
Higher rents — median is $2,318/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Independence
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Independence, MO
Pros
Homes cost $826k less ($150,800 vs $976,800)
Rent averages $1298/mo less ($1,020 vs $2,318)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Huntington Beach
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Smaller class sizes — 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Huntington Beach by $57,332/yr
Violent crime (571.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3523.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 5.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Huntington Beach
Median Income
$57,332
$114,747 vs $57,415/yr
Huntington Beach
Violent Crime
64% lower
207.3 vs 571.2 per 100k
Huntington Beach
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Independence
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Independence
Median Home Value
$826k less
$150,800 vs $976,800
Independence
Summer Heat
8.0°F warmer
July avg high 86.9°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Huntington Beach, CA | Independence, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $976,800⚠ High | $150,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,318⚠ High | $1,020 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $114,747 ✓ Higher | $57,415 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.7 min⚠ High | 23.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 8.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 71 ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 55 ✓ Safer | 150⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 95 ✓ Safer | 168⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 24.4:1 | 14.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 46.7% ✓ Higher | 19.5% |
| High School or Higher | 93.5% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Huntington Beach City Elementary | INDEPENDENCE 30 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 86.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 44.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,481 ✓ Larger | 122,218 |
| Median Age | 43.3 ✓ Older | 39.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% | 60.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | 22.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.7% ✓ More | 18.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Huntington Beach's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Independence's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Independence is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Huntington Beach leads 15 of 23 categories. Huntington Beach wins 15 and Independence wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Huntington Beach to Independence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($976,800 vs $150,800 median home), income ($114,747 vs $57,415), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Huntington Beach, CA and Independence, MO are about 1,363 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.