Population 163,074 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Topeka
Household size in Topeka
| Period | Topeka | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.37 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Topeka is a place of small households, averaging 2.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.6 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.1 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
At 40.2, the median age in Topeka is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 38.6 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the west.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.5% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.0% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Topeka (12.4%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Kansas overall (10.5%). The single-parent share has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.9% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.4% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.9% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Topeka is about as common as it is nationally: 34.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 42.9% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the north.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Topeka as nationally: 8.6%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +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. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $758 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $843 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $953 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,109 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$351 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Topeka costs $1,109 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $351 a month since 2006–10, up 46%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the east.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.3% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Topeka than nationally: 30.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 1.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the east.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.2% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Topeka is a bit above the national rate: 92.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Kansas. The share with a diploma is up 2.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Topeka runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 2.35 | 40.2 | 12.4% | 34.9% | 8.6% | 1971 | $1,109 | 30.8% | 92.3% | 4.5% |
| Kiro | 2.80 | 41.2 | 3.4% | 1.7% | 3.4% | 1995 | $857 | 39.6% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Tecumseh | 2.50 | 44.0 | 9.3% | 10.3% | 2.5% | 1971 | $1,071 | 36.8% | 95.1% | 2.2% |
| Berryton | 2.22 | 52.9 | 4.0% | 6.1% | 2.6% | 1983 | $1,167 | 39.2% | 97.6% | 0.8% |
| Grantville | 2.37 | 55.6 | 3.4% | 5.3% | 1.8% | 1981 | $1,088 | 18.4% | 91.8% | 1.7% |
| Wakarusa | 2.22 | 53.1 | 8.5% | 13.0% | 3.9% | 1980 | $1,131 | 30.3% | 96.5% | 2.1% |
| Silver Lake | 2.38 | 42.6 | 5.3% | 19.0% | 3.6% | 1983 | $875 | 31.0% | 99.1% | 1.1% |
| Auburn | 2.54 | 40.9 | 14.8% | 21.7% | 3.0% | 1982 | $892 | 30.6% | 95.8% | 2.3% |
| Richland | 2.28 | 54.0 | 3.4% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 1984 | $1,074 | 37.2% | 98.0% | 0.5% |
| Newman | 2.39 | 54.8 | 3.6% | 6.8% | 2.5% | 1981 | $1,078 | 18.6% | 92.1% | 1.8% |
| Willard | 2.64 | 42.7 | 3.5% | 7.4% | 6.4% | 1991 | $1,586 | 29.8% | 98.4% | 0.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Yarrelton, TX · Winn, MI · Yampa, CO · Winkler, TX · Yancey, TX · Winkelman, AZ · Yankton, NE · Yaquina, OR · Yarbro, AR · Yale, VA
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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