Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
Newark, NJ
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 19 of 23 categories
Lee's Summit
Missouri
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$103,447 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
101,728
Newark
New Jersey
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$46,460
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
307,355 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Households earn $56,987 more per year on average
74% less violent crime than Newark
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.9 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Newark
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Newark, NJ
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $56,987/yr
Violent crime (581.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Lee's Summit
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$56,987
$103,447 vs $46,460/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
74% lower
149.4 vs 581.2 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$21k less
$291,400 vs $312,300
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
6.9 pp lower
3.8% vs 10.7% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | Newark, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 ✓ Lower | $312,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 | $1,273 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $46,460 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min ✓ Shorter | 33.0 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 4.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 17.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 77.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | Newark Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F | 39.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer | 86.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 50.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" ✓ Less | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 | 307,355 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 23.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 24.1% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% ✓ More | 10.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Newark's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 19 of 23 categories. Lee's Summit wins 19 and Newark wins 4. 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 Lee's Summit to Newark or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $312,300 median home), income ($103,447 vs $46,460), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and Newark, NJ are about 1,077 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.