Independence vs Lee's Summit
Independence, Missouri versus Lee's Summit, Missouri: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Independence and Lee's Summit score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Independence | Lee's Summit |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $103k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $48k |
| Home Value | $151k | $291k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.14% | 1.24% |
| Income Tax | 4.80% | 4.80% |
| Sales Tax | 8.39% | 8.39% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.57% | 11.07% |
| Unemployment | 6.2% | 3.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 80°F | 79°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.7 in | 43.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.2 in | 8.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 260 days | 260 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 76 days | 76 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.3 | 36.7 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 55.1 | 77.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1297/100k | 801/100k |
| Property Crime | 3383/100k | 2098/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 122,218 | 101,728 |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.41 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | D+22 | D+22 |
| White (%) | 72.9% | 79.2% |
| Black (%) | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.6% | 4.9% |
| Asian (%) | 1.1% | 2.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.6% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 11.2/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 25 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.4% | 94.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 11.70 | 12.29 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Independence or Lee's Summit more affordable?
- Lee's Summit has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Independence's $48k and Lee's Summit's $48k. Median rent is $1k in Independence versus $1k in Lee's Summit.
- Is Independence or Lee's Summit safer?
- Lee's Summit has the lower violent crime rate. Independence reports 1297/100k and Lee's Summit reports 801/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Independence or Lee's Summit?
- The median home value is $151k in Independence and $291k in Lee's Summit, so homes are more affordable in Independence.