City comparison
Independence, MO is about 10 miles (20 km) from Lee's Summit, MO in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 14 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Independence, MO to Lee's Summit, MO takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Independence has a population of 122,218, vs 101,728 in Lee's Summit — about 1.2× larger by population. By land area, Independence covers about 78 sq mi vs 64 sq mi for Lee's Summit.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Independence | Lee's Summit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,020/mo | $1,295/mo | 27.0% higher in Lee's Summit |
| Median home value | $150,800 | $291,400 | 93.2% higher in Lee's Summit |
| Median household income | $57,415 | $103,447 | 80.2% higher in Lee's Summit |
| Groceries index | 94.3 | 94.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 89.3 | 89.3 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 93.7 | 93.7 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 93.9 | 93.9 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Independence, you'd need $100,920 in Lee's Summit to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Independence, MO is about 0.9% cheaper overall than Lee's Summit, MO, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Independence, you'd need about $80,736 in Lee's Summit to keep the same standard of living.