Salaries in Lee's Summit, MO

Lee’s Summit is the kind of place where a software developer’s salary can feel like it’s from a different planet. The median household income here is a solid $100,625, yet the cost of living is a sneaky 6.7% below the national average. That’s a powerful combination.

So what does that mean for your wallet? A low cost-of-living index of 93.3 stretches a dollar further than you might expect. The average salary is $53,290, but when you adjust for that cheaper cost of living, its real purchasing power jumps to a much healthier $57,116. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment averages just $886 a month, which is a genuine bargain in 2026. It’s not a coastal powerhouse, but the math works in your favor.

This isn’t a one-industry town. You’ve got a solid tech corridor feeding off the Kansas City metro, and healthcare is a given with major regional hospitals. The public school system is a big draw for families, keeping teachers and administrators steady. The unemployment rate is a tight 3.2%, which tells you the job market is competitive but not desperate. You have to think about the big employers here, like Cerner and the local government, for the full picture.

Here’s my honest take: the wages are good, but they aren’t exploding. An accountant or nurse pulling in the mid-$80s is doing very well here, but you’d want to see those salaries tick up faster than inflation. It’s a fantastic spot for a young family or a mid-career professional who wants a nice house without the financial panic. It’s probably not the place for someone chasing a superstar tech salary.

The data below breaks it all down, showing you exactly which jobs give you the biggest leg up in this Missouri sweet spot.