Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kansas City, MO
VS
Lee's Summit, MO
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 14 of 22 categories
Kansas City
Missouri
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$65,256
Violent Crime Index
407⚠ High
Population
505,958 ✓ Larger
Lee's Summit
Missouri
14
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.
Kansas City, MO
Pros
Homes cost $83k less ($208,900 vs $291,400)
Rent averages $164/mo less ($1,131 vs $1,295)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $38,191/yr
Violent crime (1547.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4676.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.8%)
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
90% less violent crime than Kansas City
Households earn $38,191 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Key Differences at a Glance
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$83k less
$208,900 vs $291,400
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 93.3 on the COL index
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$38,191
$103,447 vs $65,256/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
90% lower
149.4 vs 1547.1 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kansas City, MO | Lee's Summit, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 93.3 |
| Median Home Value | $208,900 ✓ Lower | $291,400 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,131 ✓ Lower | $1,295 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $65,256 | $103,447 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter | 26.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.2% | 16.0% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 333⚠ High | 67 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 407⚠ High | 39 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 223⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) | A (118) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.1% | 48.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% | 97.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | KANSAS CITY 33 | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.9°F ✓ Warmer | 39.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.1" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.0" | 8.6" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 505,958 ✓ Larger | 101,728 |
| Median Age | 35.4 | 38.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.0% | 75.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.9% | 15.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kansas City's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Lee's Summit's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 14 of 22 categories. Kansas City 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 Kansas City to Lee's Summit or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($208,900 vs $291,400 median home), income ($65,256 vs $103,447), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kansas City, MO and Lee's Summit, MO are about 17 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.