Independence is a city in Buchanan County, Iowa, home to about 6,164 people across 6.0 square miles. Its ZIP code is 50644.
Homes sold for a median of $123 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Independence. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Independence’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Des Moines International Airport (DSM)112 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO)27 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Madison, WI131 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL219 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Independence; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Independence had 6,064 residents in the 2020 census, up 1% since 2000.
It’s the 64th largest of 1,019 towns in Iowa by population.
Buchanan County grew from 21,427 residents in 1900 to 20,565 in 2020.
Buchanan County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 8°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 34 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Independence #1, IA weather station (4 miles away).
5,387 jobs at 490 businesses in Buchanan County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
85 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Independence.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 5 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 6 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 15 |
| Mental health providers | 24 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 25 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 5 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (12 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1847.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Independence Comm School District, Jesup Comm School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood CenterIndependence | Pre-K | 46 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| East Elementary SchoolIndependence | K–2 | 265 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Perry #1 Elementary SchoolIndependence | K–8 | 29 | Public | 7.0 mi |
| West Elementary SchoolIndependence | 3–6 | 360 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Independence Junior Senior High SchoolIndependence | 7–12 | 712 | Public | 1.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Johns SchoolIndependence | TK–8 | 131 | Roman Catholic | 0.6 mi |
| Independence Christian AcademyIndependence | 5 | 1 | Pentecostal | 1.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.