Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lee's Summit, MO
VS
Trenton, NJ
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Trenton
New Jersey
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$44,444
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
90,055
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lee's Summit, MO
Pros
Households earn $59,003 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Trenton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.4 pts lower (3.8%)
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (149.4 vs 380/100k)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Trenton
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Trenton, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $180k less ($111,200 vs $291,400)
Rent averages $118/mo less ($1,177 vs $1,295)
Cons
Median income trails Lee's Summit by $59,003/yr
Violent crime (1025.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.2% vs 3.8%)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Lee's Summit
Key Differences at a Glance
Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 102.1 (100 = US avg)
Lee's Summit
Median Income
$59,003
$103,447 vs $44,444/yr
Lee's Summit
Violent Crime
85% lower
149.4 vs 1025.9 per 100k
Lee's Summit
Unemployment
6.4 pp lower
3.8% vs 10.2% unemployment
Trenton
Median Home Value
$180k less
$111,200 vs $291,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lee's Summit, MO | Trenton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 102.1⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,400 | $111,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,295 | $1,177 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $103,447 ✓ Higher | $44,444 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.1 min ✓ Shorter | 26.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.0% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 67 ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 39 ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 109⚠ High | 109⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | C (75) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 48.7% ✓ Higher | 15.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE'S SUMMIT R-VII | Trenton Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.0°F | 39.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 47.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.6" ✓ Less | 26.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,728 ✓ Larger | 90,055 |
| Median Age | 38.6 ✓ Older | 35.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% ✓ Higher | 38.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | 25.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.2% ✓ More | 12.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lee's Summit's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Trenton's 102.1 (US average = 100).
Lee's Summit is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lee's Summit leads 18 of 23 categories. Lee's Summit wins 18 and Trenton 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 Trenton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,400 vs $111,200 median home), income ($103,447 vs $44,444), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lee's Summit, MO and Trenton, NJ are about 1,047 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.