Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Lee's Summit, MO
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 14 of 22 categories
Bellevue
Washington
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Lee's Summit
Missouri
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$103,447
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
101,728
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $46,104 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 88°F
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Lee's Summit
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Homes cost $848k less ($291,400 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1127/mo less ($1,295 vs $2,422)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Smaller class sizes — 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $46,104/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$46,104
$149,551 vs $103,447/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
7% lower
138.6 vs 149.4 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$848k less
$291,400 vs $1,139,500
Lee's Summit
Summer Heat
11.8°F warmer
July avg high 88.3°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Lee's Summit, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $291,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,295 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $103,447 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 26.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 67 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 39 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 48.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% | 97.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 8.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 101,728 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 38.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 75.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 15.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Lee's Summit's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 14 of 22 categories. Bellevue wins 8 and Lee's Summit wins 14. 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 Bellevue to Lee's Summit or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $291,400 median home), income ($149,551 vs $103,447), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Lee's Summit, MO are about 1,510 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.