Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
Springfield, MO
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 15 of 23 categories
Lee's Summit
Missouri
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$103,447 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
101,728
Springfield
Missouri
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,450
Violent Crime Index
310⚠ High
Population
168,873 ✓ 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 $59,997 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Springfield
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (3.8%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Springfield
Springfield, MO
Pros
Homes cost $145k less ($146,400 vs $291,400)
Rent averages $417/mo less ($878 vs $1,295)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Lee's Summit
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $59,997/yr
Violent crime (1178.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4184.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$59,997
$103,447 vs $43,450/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
87% lower
149.4 vs 1178.1 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.8% unemployment
Springfield
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$145k less
$146,400 vs $291,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | Springfield, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 | $146,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 | $878 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $43,450 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 18.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 7.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 ✓ Safer | 266⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 310⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (105) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 30.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 91.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | SPRINGFIELD R-XII |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F | 43.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer | 88.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 46.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" ✓ Less | 13.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 | 168,873 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 33.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 42.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 17.4% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% | 15.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Springfield's 89.3 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 15 of 23 categories. Lee's Summit wins 15 and Springfield wins 8. 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $146,400 median home), income ($103,447 vs $43,450), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and Springfield, MO are about 133 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.