Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MO
VS
Lee's Summit, MO
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 13 of 23 categories
Columbia
Missouri
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,455
Violent Crime Index
91
Population
126,172 ✓ Larger
Lee's Summit
Missouri
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$103,447 ✓ Higher
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.
Columbia, MO
Pros
Rent averages $298/mo less ($997 vs $1,295)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Homes cost $43k less ($248,600 vs $291,400)
More college-educated — 55.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $42,992/yr
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Households earn $42,992 more per year on average
57% less violent crime than Columbia
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Columbia
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
Columbia
Median Home Value
$43k less
$248,600 vs $291,400
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$42,992
$103,447 vs $60,455/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
57% lower
149.4 vs 347.5 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MO | Lee's Summit, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper | 93.3 |
| Median Home Value | $248,600 ✓ Lower | $291,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 ✓ Lower | $1,295 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,455 | $103,447 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.5 min ✓ Shorter | 26.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 | 67 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 110⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | A (118) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.3% ✓ Higher | 48.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% | 97.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLUMBIA 93 | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F ✓ Warmer | 39.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.8" | 43.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" | 8.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,172 ✓ Larger | 101,728 |
| Median Age | 28.8 | 38.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.8% | 75.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 15.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 89.3 vs Lee's Summit's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Columbia is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 13 of 23 categories. Columbia wins 10 and Lee's Summit wins 13. 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 Columbia to Lee's Summit or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($248,600 vs $291,400 median home), income ($60,455 vs $103,447), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MO and Lee's Summit, MO are about 111 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.