Topeka is a city of 125,795, and it grades C− overall, ranked 136th of 150 in Kansas. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 81% of U.S. towns. The trade-off: it reports more crime per resident than 97% of U.S. towns, including 1,072 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2024. 66% of working residents work locally in Topeka, where Kansas’ towns sit at 15% and U.S. towns at 8%. Its National Register listings include Constitution Hall-Topeka and St. Joseph's Catholic Church. On the outdoors, just 14 of Kansas’ 373 towns do better.

StrongestA⁻Outdoors A⁻WalkabilityWeakestD⁻Safety

What makes Topeka stand out

Where Topeka beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Sumner Elementary School and Monroe Elementary School

HistoryB⁺

Settled in 1854

93 places on the National Register

A history going back 172 years.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Topeka8.6

Kansas4.7

U.S.3.6

Worth knowing · SafetyD⁻

83% more violent crime than KS

FBI data, 2024. Crimes reported to police.

Sumner Elementary School and Monroe Elementary School · National Register of Historic Places

Topeka’s story

172 years in pictures

Sumner Elementary School and Monroe Elementary School is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1854, comes before those of 91% of the Kansas towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 759 in 1860, 126,587 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1855 and 3 maps from 1950 on.

93 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1854Topeka is settled

Explore the history →

How Topeka grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Topeka is from typical.

How grading works

SafetyD⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.2 of 20; 9.3% of households have no car; 2.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁻Open →SchoolsCOpen →HealthStormont Vail Hospital 1.1 miles awayCOpen →Jobs & income$57K median household income; 82,371 jobs based hereC⁺Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC⁺Open →Cost of livingBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

OutdoorsA⁻Open →History38 notable people born hereB⁺Open →Civic life4.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market8 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.0–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Topeka: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Topeka, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerEvergy14.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Topeka water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet7 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpCounty or districtA county or regional provider runs trash and recyclingTown site

SchoolsTopeka Public Schools Unified School District 501 Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 4372 districts serve Topeka; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereShawnee County Election CommissionerShawnee County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017

ZIP codes66614, 66604, 66605, 6660666614 21% · 66604 18% · 66605 12% · 66606 9%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Topeka.

Topeka draws workers from Soldier Township and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it trails Menoken Township and its other neighbors on schools.

OutdoorsA⁻

Topeka has set aside 4.5% of its land for conservation

72 miles of trail in 81 parks and preserves. Topeka’s trail density is 1.2 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Heartland Park, at 499 acres.

#16for trails in KS

	Topeka	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	1.2 miles per square mile	0.3	0.4
Conserved land	4.5%	2%	4.3%

4.5%

conserved · 1,800 of 40,218 acres

72 mi

of trails · 1.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. MacLennan Park	8.4 mi	209
2. Dornwood Park	5.5 mi	130
3. Gage Park	5.2 mi	171

Full pageTopeka’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map72 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk8.4 miles of trail · MacLennan Park Conserved land4.5% conserved · 1,800 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Topeka?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsC

Topeka’s public schools trail 66% of Kansas districts

Each of its 5 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its C, Menoken Township highest at A−.

Its public schools are run by the Topeka Public Schools. Three of its 40 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

34%of KS districts it outscoresCSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Jardine ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5	Grades PK–5	729	C
Topeka HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,578	C⁻
Wanamaker ElemTop results in townGrades PK–6	Grades PK–6	475	A⁻

Full pageTopeka’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsTopeka Public Schools Vs. the neighborsBehind its 5 graded neighbors Every school40 schools · Jardine Elementary Questions“Are Topeka’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation

SafetyD⁻

Topeka stands out in Kansas and nationally: violent crime there is higher

Reported crimes fell from 6,315 to 5,446 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

The violent crime rate in Topeka is 8.6 per 1,000 residents. Only 2 of the 86 Kansas towns we compare have a higher property crime rate than Topeka. Topeka reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 97% report less.

3%of U.S. towns report more crimeD⁻Safety Grade

	Topeka	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024)	8.6 per 1,000 residents	2.3	1.7
Property crimes per 1,000 (2024)	36.4 per 1,000 residents	13.5	11.5

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Topeka8.6

Kansas4.7

U.S.3.6

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Topeka36.4

Kansas21.7

U.S.17.7

3rd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

3rd

percentile among KS towns

1,072

violent crimes reported in 2024

4,559

property crimes reported in 2024

Full pageTopeka’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type8.6 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighbors6 bordering towns Questions“Is Topeka, KS safe?”

FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C⁺

About two in three of Topeka’s working residents work in town

82,371 jobs are based in Topeka, 1.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.

16% of residents live below the poverty line in Topeka. The top destinations are Lawrence (4%), Soldier Township (2%) and Overland Park (2%).

66%work in town

	Topeka	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Average trip to work	17 minutes	20 minutes	25 minutes
Below the poverty line	16%	9.1%	9.6%
Median household income	$57,000	$73,000	$80,000
Work from home	11%	8.7%	11%

Where working residents work

In Topeka66%

Lawrence4%

Soldier Township2%

Overland Park2%

Mission Township2%

4 mi

median commute distance

82,371

jobs based in Topeka

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

A−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 81% of U.S. towns

Full pageTopeka’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here82,371 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work66% work in Topeka Commute times17 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 4 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

In Topeka, expect four seasons and hot summers

Topeka has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 90°, January nights drop to 19° and about 17 inches of snow falls in a winter.

17″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter22–43°

Spring43–66°

Summer66–88°

Fall45–68°

Oct 23

typical first frost

Apr 12

typical last frost

+1.0°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageTopeka’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 90°, January lows 19°Rain & snow17″ of snow a winter · 37 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HealthC

Less healthy than 66% of U.S. towns

Against the 8,007 U.S. towns with household incomes like Topeka’s, it is healthier than 59%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income. All 5 graded neighbors score healthier than its C, from Tecumseh Township (B) to Mission Township (A−).

Topeka beats the Kansas average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15.

35%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade

	Topeka	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	39%	34%	35%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	22%	18%	19%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	17%	15%	14%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	13%	11%	12%

32 measures vs. Kansas

1 better16 too close to call15 worse

What stands out	Topeka	KS
More adults screened for colon cancer	67.9%	63.5%
More adults facing food insecurity	17.7%	13%

Stormont Vail Hospital

1.1 mi away · emergency room

1 of 3

care shortages: primary care

23rd

percentile among KS towns

Full pageTopeka’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.1 miles to an ER · Stormont Vail Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than KS on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade B

A typical Topeka home is worth about $195K

The typical Topeka home is worth about $195,000, about the same as a year ago, 21% below the Kansas typical home. 59% of Topeka households own their home.

$195KZillow home value

	Topeka	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	59%	72%	73%
Median rent	$979 a month	$975 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Topeka$195K

Kansas$246K

Market temperature

days on market

−0.4%

value change, 1 year

157

homes sold in May

Full pageTopeka’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsAbout the same as a year ago Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.4 years of income Rents$979 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of all 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C⁺

Moderate risk in Topeka, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 99 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Topeka.

59risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageTopeka’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims99 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Topeka Get ready2.5 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Who lives here

An age mix much like Kansas’s

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Kansas average. 29% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across Kansas.

38median age · KS 37.4

	Topeka	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Median age	38 years	38.2 years	40.5 years
Under 18	22%	24%	22%
Aged 65 or older	18%	17%	18%

TopekaKansasUnited States

KSU.S.

Ages · share of residents

13%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma8%

High school32%

Some college23%

Associate’s8%

Bachelor’s18%

Graduate11%

Women and men · all residents

51.8% women, 48.2% men

About 93 men for every 100 women. Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women. Median age: women 38.6, men 37.2.

Ages and education in Topeka
	Topeka	KS	U.S.
Under 10	11.9%	12.5%	11.6%
10 to 17	10.5%	11.3%	10.3%
18 to 24	10.1%	10.2%	9.1%
25 to 34	13%	12.9%	13.7%
35 to 44	12.9%	12.9%	13.2%
45 to 54	10.7%	11.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	12.5%	12.2%	12.7%
65 to 74	10.4%	10.1%	10.2%
75 and older	8%	6.9%	7%
No diploma	8.3%	8%	10.4%
High school	31.6%	25.4%	26%
Some college	23%	21.8%	19.1%
Associate’s	8.1%	9.1%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	18.2%	22.2%	21.6%
Graduate	10.8%	13.4%	14.1%

Full pageTopeka by the numbersOpen the page

Ages38 median age · 18% are 65 or older Schooling29% have a four-year degree Homes59% own their home · Homeowners Income$57K a year · Median household income

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Nearby attractions

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park and 11 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Topeka. Close and well known come first.

All 39 attractions →

in town National Historical ParkBrown v. Board of Education National Historical Park18K visitors a year in town Zoo & aquariumTopeka Zoo in town MuseumKansas Historical Society

in town MuseumKansas Museum of History

6 mi MuseumCombat Air Museum

25 mi MuseumSpencer Museum of Art

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park: James Michael DuPont, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kansas Museum of History: Sesamehoneytart, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Combat Air Museum: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 3.0 · Spencer Museum of Art: Alan Islas, CC BY-SA 4.0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Topeka

20pages on Topeka

The big questions

SchoolsCBehind 66% of KS districts · 40 schools SafetyD⁻8.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthCBetter than KS on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingB$195K typical home · down 0.4% in a year Work & commuteC⁺$57K median household income · 82,371 jobs here Natural hazardsC⁺FEMA risk higher than 59% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻72 mi of trails · 4% conserved land PlacesAttractions39 nearby · Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park under 1 mi LibraryB⁺Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library CollegesRasmussen University-Kansas, in town

The story

HistoryB⁺Settled 1854 · 93 on the National Register Famous people38 born in Topeka Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 111 residents Climate90° summer highs · 17″ of snow

Day to day

News8 recent stories about Topeka WeatherHandbookZIP code 66601, 66603, 66604 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

2 within 15 miles of the center of Topeka

Washburn UniversityUniversity or college · Public · TopekaIn town$9,945 in-state tuition Rasmussen University-KansasUniversity or college · Private for-profit · TopekaIn town$17,160 tuition

About 5 of every 100 Topeka residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across Kansas.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

Washburn University calls Topeka home

2 colleges in town.

Washburn University4,956 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $15,280
Graduate: 53%

Rasmussen University-Kansas205 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $23,980
Graduate: 45%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

93 places in Topeka on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Sumner Elementary School and Monroe Elementary SchoolNational Historic Landmark

St. Joseph's Catholic ChurchBuilt 1901

Kansas State CapitolBuilt 1866

Pottawatomie Baptist Mission Site (Additional Documentation)Built 1855

Famous people from Topeka

38 notable people were born in Topeka.

See all 38 →

Annette BeningAmerican actress · born 1958

Charles CurtisVice president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 · 1860–1936

Gwendolyn BrooksAmerican writer · 1917–2000

Gregg BinkleyAmerican actor · born 1963

Pat RobertsUnited States Senator from Kansas · born 1936

Lois SmithAmerican actress · born 1930

About Topeka

State capital city of Kansas, United States

Official town website ↗

Topeka (, tə-PEE-kə) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, within northeastern Kansas and the Central United States. The population of the city was 126,587 as of the 2020 census. The five-county Topeka metropolitan area has approximately 233,000 residents. The city, laid out in 1854, was one of the Free-State towns founded by Eastern antislavery men immediately after the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Bill. Topeka was chartered as a city in 1857. It is well known for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which overturned Plessy v. Ferguso…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1854
Area: 62 sq mi
Elevation: 945 ft
ZIP code: 66601, 66603, 66604
Area code: 785

Topeka’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Topeka.

Explore the map →

All 4 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C−; Williamsport Township (B−) is closest. Mission Township next door grades higher for schools (B+ to Topeka’s C) and lower for cost of living (C to B).

Mission TownshipTopeka TownshipTecumseh TownshipSoldier TownshipWilliamsport TownshipMenoken TownshipTopeka

Mission Township

SW · 2% of Topeka workers commute here

Visit

Topeka Township

SE · 2% of Topeka workers commute here

Visit

Tecumseh Township

E · 1% of Topeka workers commute here

Visit

Soldier Township

N · 2% of Topeka workers commute here

Visit

Williamsport Township

Visit

Menoken Township

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	KS rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Topeka · Topeka Township	#136	C⁻	B	D⁻	C	C
Mission Township	#53	B⁺	C	—	B⁺	A⁻
Tecumseh Township	#43	B⁺	B⁻	—	B	B
Soldier Township	#52	B⁺	C⁺	—	B⁺	B⁺
Williamsport Township	#81	B⁻	C⁺	—	B⁺	A⁻
Menoken Township	—	—	D	—	A⁻	A⁻

Menoken Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Mission Township, Tecumseh Township, Soldier Township, Williamsport Township and Menoken Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Topeka Township and Topeka are one community, graded once. Compare Topeka with a neighbor →

Questions about Topeka

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Topeka, KS a good place to live?

Topeka grades C− overall, better than 16% of U.S. towns and #136 of 150 in Kansas. It grades C for health, D− for safety and C for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Topeka, KS expensive?

That is 2.8 years of the area's median household income ($69,888 across the Topeka, KS metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.

What is Topeka, KS known for?

38 notable people were born here, including Annette Bening and Charles Curtis.

Post to Topeka

Check your email

TopekaKS

What is it like to live in Topeka?

What makes Topeka stand out

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

172 years in pictures

How Topeka grades

Moving to Topeka: who provides what

The data

Topeka has set aside 4.5% of its land for conservation

Topeka’s public schools trail 66% of Kansas districts

Topeka stands out in Kansas and nationally: violent crime there is higher

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

About two in three of Topeka’s working residents work in town

Where working residents work

In Topeka, expect four seasons and hot summers

Typical low → high °F

Less healthy than 66% of U.S. towns

A typical Topeka home is worth about $195K

Typical home value

Moderate risk in Topeka, with inland flooding at the top

An age mix much like Kansas’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park and 11 more within 40 miles

Everything we know about Topeka

Colleges nearby

Washburn University calls Topeka home

Landmarks

Famous people from Topeka

About Topeka

Topeka’s neighbors

Questions about Topeka