Lee's Summit, MO Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Lee's Summit, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Lee's Summit →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Lee's Summit is a city of roughly 101,728 in Missouri. The median household there earns $103,447 annually, which runs above the multi-city median income (+43%).
The typical home in Lee's Summit is worth $291,400, below the multi-city median (-11%), while the typical renter pays $1,295 a month. Either path — buying or renting — deserves a look at today's rates before deciding.
At roughly 2.8 times median household income, home values in Lee's Summit are on the affordable end compared to the cities we cover. Home prices near Lee's Summit have risen a steady 3.15% over the past year — measured growth, not a spike. FEMA rates Lee's Summit's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High — worth factoring into home insurance costs.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,295/mo in Lee's Summit would take 15.0% of your income.
$1,291/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($291,400) would take 18.0% of your income toward principal & interest.
$858/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Lee's Summit
Median home value is $291,400 and median gross rent is $1,295/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Jackson rose 3.15% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,358/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Lee's Summit's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Lee's Summit reported a violent crime rate of 111.5 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Lee's Summit
Planning a move to Lee's Summit? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Lee's Summit, MO?
- Cost of living in Lee's Summit centers on housing: median home value runs $291,400, median rent runs $1,295/month, and the typical household earns $103,447 a year. Data via the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lee's Summit?
- At Lee's Summit's median rent of $1,295/month, the 30%-of-income guideline suggests an annual income around $51,800 to stay comfortably housed. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Lee's Summit.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Lee's Summit?
- With a median home value of $291,400 and median rent of $1,295/month, renting comfortably in Lee's Summit takes about $51,800/year (the 30% guideline), while buying at the median price takes roughly $66,671/year in principal-and-interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates). The right call depends on how long you plan to stay and your down payment.
- Is Lee's Summit safe?
- FBI data puts Lee's Summit's violent crime rate at 111.5 per 100,000 residents for 2025 — a useful benchmark alongside other cities you're weighing.
See the full salary breakdown for Lee's Summit →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Lee's Summit's.