Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
San Marcos, CA
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 16 of 23 categories
Lee's Summit
Missouri
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$103,447 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
101,728 ✓ Larger
San Marcos
California
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,413
Violent Crime Index
59
Population
94,360
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Homes cost $437k less ($291,400 vs $728,800)
Rent averages $769/mo less ($1,295 vs $2,064)
33% less violent crime than San Marcos
18% cheaper overall cost of living than San Marcos
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
San Marcos, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (222.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 39°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $728,800
Higher rents — median is $2,064/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Lee's Summit
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$4,034
$103,447 vs $99,413/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
33% lower
149.4 vs 222.4 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$437k less
$291,400 vs $728,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | San Marcos, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 ✓ Lower | $728,800⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 ✓ Lower | $2,064⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $99,413 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min ✓ Shorter | 26.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% | 16.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 59 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High | 31 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 41.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 87.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | San Marcos Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer | 87.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 13.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 ✓ Larger | 94,360 |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 35.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 61.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs San Marcos's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 16 of 23 categories. Lee's Summit wins 16 and San Marcos wins 7. 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 San Marcos or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $728,800 median home), income ($103,447 vs $99,413), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and San Marcos, CA are about 1,330 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.