Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
Lee's Summit, MO
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 18 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High
Population
108,682 ✓ Larger
Lee's Summit
Missouri
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
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.
El Monte, CA
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $43,518/yr
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Lee's Summit
Higher rents — median is $1,605/mo
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Homes cost $306k less ($291,400 vs $597,200)
Households earn $43,518 more per year on average
65% less violent crime than El Monte
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
22% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$43,518
$103,447 vs $59,929/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
65% lower
149.4 vs 423.2 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$306k less
$291,400 vs $597,200
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
3.8% vs 7.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | Lee's Summit, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $291,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $1,295 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 | $103,447 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 26.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High | 67 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 48.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 97.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 8.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 ✓ Larger | 101,728 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 38.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 75.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 15.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Lee's Summit's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 18 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 5 and Lee's Summit wins 18. 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 El Monte to Lee's Summit or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $291,400 median home), income ($59,929 vs $103,447), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and Lee's Summit, MO are about 1,351 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.