Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 12 of 23 categories
Lee's Summit
Missouri
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$103,447 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
39
Population
101,728
Surprise
Arizona
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,756
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Rent averages $527/mo less ($1,295 vs $1,822)
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $61k less ($291,400 vs $352,600)
Households earn $15,691 more per year on average
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (3.8%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Surprise, AZ
Pros
27% less violent crime than Lee's Summit
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 39°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $352,600
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $15,691/yr
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 101.2 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$15,691
$103,447 vs $87,756/yr
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$61k less
$291,400 vs $352,600
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
3.8% vs 4.6% unemployment
Surprise
Violent Crime
27% lower
109.1 vs 149.4 per 100k
Surprise
Summer Heat
16.3°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 88.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 101.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 ✓ Lower | $352,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $87,756 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 14.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 93.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 | 145,591 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 24.5% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 12 of 23 categories. Lee's Summit wins 12 and Surprise 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 Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $352,600 median home), income ($103,447 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and Surprise, AZ are about 1,067 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.