Lee's Summit, Missouri

Lee's Summit, Missouri
Downtown Lee's Summit
Location within Jackson County and Missouri
Coordinates: 38°55′02″N 94°22′54″W / 38.91722°N 94.38167°W / 38.91722; -94.38167
CountryUnited States
StateMissouri
CountiesJackson, Cass
Founded1860s
IncorporatedOctober 28, 1865
Named afterPleasant Lea
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • MayorWilliam A. Baird
 • City managerMark Dunning
Area
 • Total
65.91 sq mi (170.71 km2)
 • Land63.90 sq mi (165.49 km2)
 • Water2.02 sq mi (5.22 km2)
Elevation
1,027 ft (313 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
101,108
 • Estimate 
(2024)
106,419
 • Rank6th in Missouri
308th in the United States
 • Density1,582.4/sq mi (610.96/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code
64015, 64063, 64064, 64081, 64082, 64083, 64086
Area code816, 975
FIPS code29-41348
GNIS ID2395669
Websitecityofls.net

Lee's Summit is a city in Jackson and Cass counties in Missouri, United States. It is a suburb of the Kansas City metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 101,108, making it the sixth most populous city in both Missouri and the Kansas City metropolitan area.

In 1865, the town was incorporated as Strother, remaining so until it was renamed Lee’s Summit three years later. The city was likely named in honor of Pleasant John Graves Lea, a prominent local citizen killed during the Civil War.

Lee's Summit began as an agricultural community and persisted as such until the mid-twentieth century. Upon the conclusion of World War II, the city began to rapidly suburbanize and grow in population, transitioning into a commuter suburb of Kansas City. During this period of growth, Lee’s Summit developed a well-funded public school district. The school district has consistently ranked among the city’s top employers, alongside federal government offices, healthcare facilities, and retail centers. The city has a historic downtown with an Amtrak station, several human-made lake reservoirs, and numerous parks.