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Lee's Summit vs Independence

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: home values (2× in Lee's Summit) and property tax bill (2× in Lee's Summit).

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Lee's Summit, MOA history townMissouri · 103,656 people
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Independence, MOA history townMissouri · 121,740 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Lee's SummitA history town
HistorySettled in 186520 places on the National Register Outdoors#11 most conserved land in MO44 miles of trails across 44 parks and preserves Schools#34 for schools in MOof 226 towns All about Lee's Summit →
IndependenceA history town
HistorySettled in 182726 places on the National Register Famous people64 notable peopleborn in Independence Outdoors#45 most conserved land in MO46 miles of trails across 51 parks and preserves All about Independence →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Home values2×
Homes cost more in Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit $340,900Independence $172,900
Property tax bill2×
Tax bills are bigger in Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit $3,869Independence $1,914
Household income+70%
Households in Lee's Summit earn more
Lee's Summit $102,531Independence $60,339
Bachelor’s degree++26.9 pts
More adults in Lee's Summit have a degree
Lee's Summit 48.8%Independence 21.9%
Rent+28%
Rent runs higher in Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit $1,422Independence $1,109
Typical home built27 yrs
Independence’s homes are older
Lee's Summit 1994Independence 1967
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,130 more a month in Lee's Summit

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Lee's Summit$2,440/mo
Typical home $394K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $1,422/mo · Housing →
Independence$1,310/mo
Typical home $213K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $1,109/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,130 a month, about $13,500 a year, between Lee's Summit and Independence.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Lee's Summit places higher on 18 of 22 MO lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Missouri ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CLee's SummitSafer than 34% of U.S. towns DIndependenceSafer than 14% of U.S. towns
Schools
ALee's SummitBetter than 86% of districts in the state C+IndependenceBetter than 38% of districts in the state
Health
A−Lee's SummitHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns C−IndependenceHealthier than 18% of U.S. towns
18Lee's Summit
4Independence

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fewest uninsuredHealth · 261 towns #24#217 Best schoolsSchools · 226 towns #34#169 Most new homesHousing · 200 towns #35#138 HealthiestHealth · 261 towns #39#164 Most activeHealth · 261 towns #47#171 Lowest depressionHealth · 261 towns #92#203 Fewest smokersHealth · 261 towns #28#134 Most affordableCost of living · 260 towns #233#129

Left end = #1 in Missouri. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Lee's Summit’s rankings →

Where they are

Lee's Summit and Independence share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Lee's SummitIndependenceLee's SummitIndependence
Lee's Summit ↔ Independence11 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
3,618 Independence residents work in Lee's Summit (6.8% of its workers)
2,554 Lee's Summit residents work in Independence (5.2% of its workers)
Work & commute in Independence →
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Lee's SummitIndependence
Snow a year9″13″
January low—19°F
July high—87°F
Growing season (days)—198d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)38th43rd
Outdoors & history
Lee's SummitIndependence
Trails44 mi46 mi
Conserved land10.4%4.8%
Settled18651827
National Register places2026
Archive photos66
Famous people born here2764
Community
Lee's SummitIndependence
Library hours a week69 hrs69 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Lee's SummitIndependence
People
Population 103,656Lowest 121,740Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.7%Highest MO: +2.8% +5.3%Lowest MO: +2.8%
Median age 38.8±1Lowest about the MO average 39±1.1Highest about the MO average
Independence and Lee's Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.5%±1.3Highest MO: 22.3% 22.8%±1.1Lowest MO: 22.3%
Age 65+ 16.2%±0.8Lowest MO: 17.9% 18.7%±0.9Highest MO: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 48.8%Highest MO: 32.4% 21.9%Lowest MO: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±0.5Highest MO: 5.7% 3.5%±0.6Lowest MO: 5.7%
Lee's Summit and Independence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $102,531±$4kHighest 45% above MO $60,339±$2kLowest 15% below MO
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $340,900±$7kHighest 48% above MO $172,900±$3kLowest 25% below MO
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,422±$54Highest 38% above MO $1,109±$30Lowest 7% above MO
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,869Highest 99% above MO $1,914Lowest about the MO average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.8%±6.4Lowest MO: 45.6% 53.1%±4.7Highest MO: 45.6%
Independence and Lee's Summit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.7%Lowest MO: 12.6% 15.8%Highest MO: 12.6%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.4%Highest MO: 68.1% 60.9%Lowest MO: 68.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1994Highest 16 yrs newer than MO 1967Lowest 11 yrs older than MO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 7% above MO 24 minLowest about the MO average
Work from home 20.8%±2Highest MO: 13% 12.3%±1.5Lowest MO: 13%
Work in townworking residents 20.1%Highest 16.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miHighest 10.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.86Highest 0.68Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Kansas City (31%)Kansas City (33%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 5% work in Independence7% work in Lee's Summit
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 10.4%Highest 4.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 43.5 miLowest 45.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 44Lowest 51Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 60.9Highest 54.1Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #34 of 226 in MO#169 of 226 in MO
School district DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE · BLUE SPRINGS R-IVBLUE SPRINGS R-IV · FORT OSAGE R-I
High school in town Lee's Summit West HighTruman High
Students per teacherat that high school 16.6Lowest 18.6Highest
Missouri average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Lee's Summit neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lee's Summit’s Town Square.

Independence neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 4d

Choosing a School in Independence

1 neighbor in Independence can answer.

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Bordering Lee's Summit

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Kansas City510,612 people · $243K homes
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Unity Village121 people
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Lake Winnebago1,773 people · $725K homes
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Greenwood6,013 people · $286K homes

Towns like Lee's Summit

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O'Fallon93,801 people · $326K homes
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St. Charles71,508 people · $299K homes
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St. Peters59,092 people · $270K homes
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Blue Springs59,965 people · $263K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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