Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
Spokane Valley, WA
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 18 of 23 categories
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
Spokane Valley
Washington
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,483
Violent Crime Index
64
Population
103,761 ✓ 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 $36,964 more per year on average
38% less violent crime than Spokane Valley
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 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.
Spokane Valley, WA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (242.1 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Rent averages $120/mo less ($1,175 vs $1,295)
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $36,964/yr
Property crime (3515.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 3.8%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Lee's Summit
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 101.0 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$36,964
$103,447 vs $66,483/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
38% lower
149.4 vs 242.1 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$16k less
$291,400 vs $307,700
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | Spokane Valley, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 101.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 ✓ Lower | $307,700⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 | $1,175 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $66,483 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 64 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 25.3% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 94.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | East Valley School District (Spokane) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer | 87.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" ✓ Less | 45.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 | 103,761 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 57.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Spokane Valley's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 18 of 23 categories. Lee's Summit wins 18 and Spokane Valley wins 5. 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 Spokane Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $307,700 median home), income ($103,447 vs $66,483), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and Spokane Valley, WA are about 1,291 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.