Independence, MO - opinions? (Raytown: crime rate, living, cost of living)

[OnTaMove]

I'm going to moving to the KC area. I'm self employed, so no commuting issues to worry about. I'm thinking about the Independence area - any thoughts? What I'm looking for is a place that has a sense of place (I don't like town without proper centers) and relatively reasonable cost of living - I'm assuming that Independence would be cheaper than something closer in to the center of KC.

[northbound74]

We moved to Independence about four years ago, and don't have too many complaints. It is very affordable, yet the crime rate isn't too bad. The only place that compares is Raytown, but Independence has more to offer.
It certainly has a sense of place, close-knit, and is rich in history as well.
The courthouse square is always struggling to get attention, yet always seems to do okay. There's a lot of interest to keep it alive and competitive.
The town is blue-collar, but there's a fairly wide variety of people that live here.
Independence has had it's struggles and stigma's, but it seems to be the up-and-up overall.