Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
Tampa, FL
🏆 Lee's Summit leads 16 of 22 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
Tampa
Florida
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,802
Violent Crime Index
117⚠ High
Population
388,768 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
66% less violent crime than Tampa
Households earn $36,645 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (3.8%)
Homes cost $42k less ($291,400 vs $333,200)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Tampa
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Tampa, FL
Pros
Milder winters — January highs near 71°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $36,645/yr
Violent crime (444.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $333,200
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Lee's Summit
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$36,645
$103,447 vs $66,802/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
66% lower
149.4 vs 444.6 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Median Home Value
$42k less
$291,400 vs $333,200
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.8% vs 5.2% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | Tampa, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 ✓ Lower | $333,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 ✓ Lower | $1,422⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $66,802 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min | 24.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% | 16.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 ✓ Safer | 98 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High | 70 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 43.3% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 89.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F | 71.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 49.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 | 388,768 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 35.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 50.5% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% ✓ More | 20.8% |
| Over 65 | 15.2% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Tampa's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 16 of 22 categories. Lee's Summit wins 16 and Tampa wins 6. 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 Tampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $333,200 median home), income ($103,447 vs $66,802), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and Tampa, FL are about 1,020 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.