Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Lee's Summit, MO
🏆 Centennial leads 13 of 22 categories
Centennial
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45
Population
107,702 ✓ Larger
Lee's Summit
Missouri
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$103,447
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
101,728
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $21,170 more per year on average
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Lee's Summit
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Homes cost $295k less ($291,400 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $654/mo less ($1,295 vs $1,949)
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Smaller class sizes — 14.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $21,170/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$21,170
$124,617 vs $103,447/yr
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
14% lower
149.4 vs 172.8 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$295k less
$291,400 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Lee's Summit, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $291,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,295 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $103,447 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 3.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 26.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 67 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 48.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% | 97.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 8.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 ✓ Larger | 101,728 |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 38.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 75.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 15.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Lee's Summit's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Centennial leads 13 of 22 categories. Centennial wins 13 and Lee's Summit wins 9. 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 Centennial to Lee's Summit or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $291,400 median home), income ($124,617 vs $103,447), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Lee's Summit, MO are about 563 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.