Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
Rochester, MN
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Lee's Summit
Missouri
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$103,447 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
101,728
Rochester
Minnesota
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,973
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
120,848 ✓ 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 $19,474 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 39°F vs 23°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Rochester, MN
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (154.0 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.1)
Homes cost $23k less ($268,800 vs $291,400)
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 88°F
Rent averages $77/mo less ($1,218 vs $1,295)
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $19,474/yr
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$19,474
$103,447 vs $83,973/yr
Lee's Summit
Summer Heat
8.0°F warmer
July avg high 88.3°F vs 80.3°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 93.3 on the COL index
Rochester
Median Home Value
$23k less
$268,800 vs $291,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | Rochester, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 93.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 | $268,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 | $1,218 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $83,973 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High | 3.7% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 10.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 | 50 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 41 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | A- (116) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% | 49.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 94.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | Rochester Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F ✓ Warmer | 22.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer | 80.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 37.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" ✓ Less | 52.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 | 120,848 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 65.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 23.6% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% | 15.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Rochester's 93.1 (US average = 100).
Rochester is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Lee's Summit wins 11 and Rochester wins 11. 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 Rochester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $268,800 median home), income ($103,447 vs $83,973), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and Rochester, MN are about 366 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.