Population 316 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Topeka
Household size in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.12 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.97 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.19 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Topeka is a place of small households, averaging 2.21 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.39 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.6 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.7 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.4 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 53.0, Topeka is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Topeka: 3.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Topeka
Renters in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.0% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.1% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Topeka is largely a place of homeowners: only 18.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 69.3% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.8% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.4% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +14.2 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 25.4% of the housing in Topeka, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Topeka is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. That is in line with the rest of Illinois.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $902 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $921 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $816 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $954 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$52 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Topeka pays $954 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 42.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Topeka
Bachelor's degrees in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −8.4 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Topeka have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 5.6%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.5% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.2% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 75.6% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.2% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Topeka never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.4% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Topeka runs well above the national rate: 11.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Topeka compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka | 2.21 | 53.0 | 3.2% | 18.1% | 25.4% | 1971 | $954 | 5.6% | 85.2% | 11.4% |
| Liverpool | 2.33 | 46.5 | 10.4% | 24.6% | 14.9% | 1962 | $912 | 8.0% | 93.7% | 4.0% |
| Forest City | 2.15 | 44.2 | 3.0% | 22.7% | 20.1% | 1968 | $1,009 | 9.4% | 92.3% | 7.9% |
| Eckard | 2.70 | 42.7 | 2.3% | 1.3% | 21.8% | 1965 | $946 | 30.0% | 96.2% | 3.1% |
| Little America | 2.36 | 43.9 | 16.5% | 15.6% | 10.9% | 1967 | $903 | 20.2% | 95.8% | 0.7% |
| Maples Mill | 2.36 | 44.1 | 15.1% | 17.1% | 11.0% | 1965 | $910 | 17.2% | 95.4% | 1.0% |
| Poplar City | 2.27 | 52.3 | 3.0% | 6.9% | 8.8% | 1966 | $872 | 26.3% | 93.4% | 3.8% |
| Havana | 2.21 | 43.8 | 13.0% | 20.2% | 13.9% | 1960 | $745 | 18.1% | 92.5% | 3.9% |
| Manito | 2.32 | 44.6 | 9.7% | 14.1% | 9.5% | 1970 | $786 | 15.3% | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| Monterey | 2.37 | 44.4 | 12.6% | 27.2% | 11.2% | 1959 | $900 | 9.5% | 96.6% | 1.4% |
| Easton | 2.14 | 47.4 | 4.6% | 14.0% | 7.1% | 1939 | $686 | 12.5% | 95.7% | 13.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Tyler Hill, PA · Belott, TX · Ben Avon Heights, PA · Bethlehem, OH · Blakely, AR · Blanford, IN · Bluehole, KY · Bowbells, ND · Bozman, MD · Bretz, WV
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Topeka. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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