Independence is a city in Polk County, Oregon, home to about 10,199 people across 3.0 square miles. Its ZIP code is 97351.
Homes sold for a median of $294 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced 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 | Portland International Airport (PDX)59 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field (SLE)10 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Portland, OR54 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Los Angeles, CA790 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 9,828 residents in the 2020 census, up 63% since 2000.
It’s the 65th largest of 420 towns in Oregon by population.
Polk County grew from 9,923 residents in 1900 to 87,433 in 2020.
Polk 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 35°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Dallas 2 Ne, OR weather station (8 miles away).
16,046 jobs at 1,587 businesses in Polk County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
34 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Independence.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 2 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 3 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 7 |
| Mental health providers | 13 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 6 |
| Pharmacies | 1 |
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 (5 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 1.5 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 1874.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Central SD 13J. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Elementary SchoolIndependence | K–5 | 425 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| Talmadge Middle SchoolIndependence | 6–8 | 716 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Central High SchoolIndependence | 9–12 | 1,008 | Public | 1.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public 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.