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Economy, jobs and prices in Topeka, Kansas: official figures

The median household income in Topeka was $56,956 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 106th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the Kansas median $74,275.

Median household income
$56,956
2020-2024
Unemployment rate (ACS)
4.9%
2020-2024
Mean travel time to work
16.7 min
2020-2024
Median gross rent (monthly)
$979
2020-2024
Median home value (owner-occupied)
$144,200
2020-2024
Homes occupied by their owners
59.0%
2020-2024
Households with a broadband subscription
88.1%
2020-2024

What is the per capita income in Topeka?

Income per resident (per capita income) in Topeka averaged $34,089 a year in 2020-2024, 221st lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; Kansas: $40,978).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How unequal are incomes in Topeka?

Topeka's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.452 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 368th most unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in Topeka, Kansas?

4.9% of the civilian labor force in Topeka was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (3,018 people), 351st lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and Kansas' 3.9%.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Topeka are working?

61.0% of Topeka's 100,994 residents aged 16 and over were in the labor force (working or looking for work) in 2020-2024, 132nd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 63.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Topeka have jobs?

58,366 residents of Topeka held civilian jobs, 57.8% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 211 served in the armed forces.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What are the main industries in Topeka?

The largest industry group for working residents of Topeka was education, health care and social assistance (25.1% of employed residents), followed by public administration (10.1%) and manufacturing (9.4%), 2020-2024.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many people in Topeka work in manufacturing?

Manufacturing employed 9.4% of working residents of Topeka, 371st highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 8.2% (US: 12.6%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How long is the commute in Topeka, Kansas?

Commuters in Topeka took 16.7 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 35th shortest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 4.1% travelled an hour or more and 48.9% less than 15 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How do people in Topeka get to work?

10.9% of workers living in Topeka worked from home in 2020-2024, 256th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 75.5% drove to work alone, 10.1% carpooled, 0.5% used public transport and 1.9% walked.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What is the average rent in Topeka, Kansas?

The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Topeka was $979 a month in 2020-2024, 53rd lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; Kansas: $1,060).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How much does a house cost in Topeka?

Owner-occupied homes in Topeka had a median value of $144,200 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 37th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; Kansas: $217,200).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How affordable are homes in Topeka?

The median home value in Topeka was 2.5 times the median household income, 27th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of people in Topeka, Kansas own their home?

59.0% of the 54,837 occupied homes in Topeka were lived in by their owners in 2020-2024 and 22,495 were rented, 384th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more for home ownership (US: 65.2%; Kansas: 67.2%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

What share of homes in Topeka have broadband?

88.1% of households in Topeka had a broadband internet subscription of some type in 2020-2024, 113th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 91.0%; Kansas: 90.7%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How many households in Topeka have no internet?

9.7% of households in Topeka (5,303) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 56th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 14.0% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

How Topeka compares with other cities in the United States

Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 718 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian household income (2024 dollars)
715Tucson$57,073
716Beaumont$56,997
717New Bedford$56,981
718Topeka$56,956
719Burlington$56,880
720New Haven$56,851
721Montgomery$56,811
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 603 of 823, highest first.

RankCityPer capita income (2024 dollars)
600Montebello$34,178
601Schenectady$34,175
602North Little Rock$34,174
603Topeka$34,089
604Longview$33,995
605Highland$33,970
606Yuma$33,951
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 368 of 823, highest first.

RankCityGini index of household income inequality
365Dubuque0.452
366Temple0.452
367Sioux Falls0.452
368Topeka0.452
369Richmond0.452
370Shoreline0.451
371Laredo0.451
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 473 of 823, highest first.

RankCityUnemployment rate (share of civilian labor force)
470Renton4.9%
471Beaumont4.9%
472Stamford4.9%
473Topeka4.9%
474Kingsport4.9%
475Chesapeake4.9%
476North Port4.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 692 of 823, highest first.

RankCityLabor force participation rate (16 and over)
689Yuba City61.0%
690College Station61.0%
691Santa Fe61.0%
692Topeka61.0%
693Fountain Valley60.9%
694Highland60.9%
695Henderson60.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 789 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMean travel time to work (minutes)
786Bloomington16.8
787Redding16.7
788Eau Claire16.7
789Topeka16.7
790Medford16.6
791Enid16.5
792Flagstaff16.5
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 568 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers who worked from home
565Auburn10.9%
566Oklahoma City10.9%
567Anchorage10.9%
568Topeka10.9%
569Buena Park10.9%
570Schenectady10.9%
571Montebello10.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 614 of 823, highest first.

RankCityWorkers commuting by public transportation
611Minnetonka0.5%
612Decatur0.5%
613Buckeye0.5%
614Topeka0.5%
615Owensboro0.5%
616Porterville0.5%
617Thousand Oaks0.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 371 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents working in manufacturing
368Edina9.4%
369Summerville9.4%
370Vallejo9.4%
371Topeka9.4%
372Vineland9.4%
373New Haven9.4%
374Pasco9.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 240 of 823, highest first.

RankCityEmployed residents in education, health care and social assistance
237Westfield25.1%
238Fishers25.1%
239Joplin25.1%
240Topeka25.1%
241Columbia25.1%
242Apple Valley25.1%
243Carmel25.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 771 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian gross rent per month
768Shreveport$987
769Rockford$985
770Grand Forks$980
771Topeka$979
772Davenport$978
773Sioux City$976
774Wichita$975
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 787 of 823, highest first.

RankCityMedian value of owner-occupied homes
784Taylor$152,600
785Utica$151,300
786Florissant$148,800
787Topeka$144,200
788Evansville$143,100
789Lawton$142,100
790Battle Creek$141,900
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 794 of 820, highest first.

RankCityMedian home value as a multiple of median household income
791Moore2.5x
792Akron2.5x
793Anderson2.5x
794Topeka2.5x
795Cuyahoga Falls2.5x
796Sioux City2.5x
797South Bend2.5x
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 384 of 823, highest first.

RankCityOccupied homes lived in by their owners
381Smyrna59.4%
382Greenwood59.3%
383Pharr59.1%
384Topeka59.0%
385South San Francisco59.0%
386Albany58.9%
387Hollywood58.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 711 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with a broadband subscription
708Milwaukee88.2%
709Erie88.2%
710Wichita Falls88.2%
711Topeka88.1%
712Syracuse88.1%
713New Brunswick88.1%
714Albany88.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

Households with no internet access (2020-2024)

Topeka ranks 56 of 823, highest first.

RankCityHouseholds with no internet access
53St. Louis9.8%
54Baltimore9.8%
55New Brunswick9.7%
56Topeka9.7%
57Delano9.6%
58Harrisburg9.6%
59Victoria9.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copy

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Sources

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