Topeka, KS
Census place 2071000 · pop 125,786
Kansas's capital and the namesake of the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
857 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3660 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
16.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$56,956 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
88.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-0.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.48% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
15.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
28.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
11.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
59.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.45 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
45 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
29.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
16.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
80/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,259/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$144,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Topeka, KS a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Topeka scores 45/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is violent crime rate. Kansas overall ranks #20 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Topeka, KS?
- Topeka reports 857 violent crimes per 100k and 3660 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Topeka, KS expensive to live in?
- Topeka has a median home value of $144,200 and typical rent around $1,259/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Topeka, KS?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (857/100k) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Topeka, KS best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (17 min) — 91/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Kansas's capital and the namesake of the landmark 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.