Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 15 of 22 categories
Lee's Summit
Missouri
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$103,447 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39 ✓ Safer
Population
101,728
St. Louis
Missouri
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ 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 $50,506 more per year on average
89% less violent crime than St. Louis
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 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.
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $117k less ($174,100 vs $291,400)
Rent averages $357/mo less ($938 vs $1,295)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 11.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $50,506/yr
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 96.3 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$50,506
$103,447 vs $52,941/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
89% lower
149.4 vs 1367.1 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.4% unemployment
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$117k less
$174,100 vs $291,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 96.3 |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 38.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F | 40.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 44.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 15 of 22 categories. Lee's Summit wins 15 and St. Louis 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 St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $174,100 median home), income ($103,447 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and St. Louis, MO are about 224 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.