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METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Topeka Metro

Topeka, KS · 5 counties · 210,257 residents · 3,233 sq mi
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The short version

Topeka is a metro area of 210,257 people. Median home value sits at $51,723. Owners hold 70% of the housing stock. Poverty is uncommon here, at 10.1% of people across the metro. Headcount has barely moved since 2000. Median household income is $29,139, close to the national figure.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 34.3
US median: 33.0
Average education
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 14%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
210,257
−6%vs 2000
vs 224,551 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
65 / sq mi
−6%vs 2000
vs 69 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
34.3
−8%vs 2000
vs 37.4 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
3,233 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
208K215K222K229K237K19902000201020202024Topeka
2024232K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.2%(15,093)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.7%(16,164)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.4%(15,457)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.5%(13,711)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.1%(12,753)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.5%(34,703)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4415.1%(31,839)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.5%(22,094)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 649.2%(19,326)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.5%(15,814)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.6%(9,574)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.8%(3,729)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$29,139
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $41,125 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,452
−34%vs 2000
vs $20,312 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
10.1%
+0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 9.1% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$51,723
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $79,258 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$362
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $477 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
70.0%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 71.0% in 2000
30.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.5%(187,516)
Black6.7%(15,110)
Hispanic / Latino5.9%(13,138)
Asian0.7%(1,662)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic90.1%(189,417)
Black6.3%(13,191)
Hispanic / Latino3.8%(7,920)
Asian0.6%(1,364)
Other3%(6,285)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican9.4%(21,747)
Puerto Rican0.9%(2,139)
Central American0.5%(1,036)
Guatemalan0.2%(444)
Nicaraguan0.2%(413)
Spaniard0.2%(337)
Cuban0.1%(213)
Argentine0.1%(153)
Colombian0.1%(127)
Dominican0.1%(105)
Salvadoran0.1%(105)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(818)
Filipino0.2%(453)
Chinese0.2%(389)
Korean0.2%(337)
Japanese0.2%(288)
Vietnamese0.1%(197)
Uzbek0%(40)
Thai0%(38)
Cambodian0.1%(27)
Laotian0%(10)
Burmese0%(6)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(89)
Samoan0%(87)
Tongan0%(50)
Guamanian0.1%(24)
Ancestry
German23.4%(54,297)
English16.9%(39,213)
Irish11.7%(27,242)
American5.1%(11,813)
Italian1.9%(4,420)
Scottish1.9%(4,317)
French1.8%(4,245)
Swedish1.8%(4,109)
Dutch1.1%(2,486)
Polish1%(2,421)
Norwegian0.9%(1,987)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(1,961)
+ 42 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.8%(1,786)
Czech0.5%(1,199)
Danish0.4%(857)
British0.3%(765)
Swiss0.3%(683)
Russian0.3%(627)
Ukrainian0.2%(376)
Arab0.1%(289)
Lithuanian0.1%(287)
Hungarian0.1%(271)
West Indian0.1%(248)
Belgian0.1%(214)
Canadian0.1%(213)
Austrian0.1%(205)
Croatian0.1%(188)
Portuguese0.1%(188)
Jamaican0.1%(178)
Greek0.1%(176)
Nigerian0.1%(167)
Lebanese0.1%(138)
Finnish0%(98)
Slovak0%(90)
Romanian0%(83)
Brazilian0%(54)
Ghanaian0%(53)
Iranian0%(46)
Australian0.3%(41)
Haitian0%(34)
Armenian0%(32)
Somali0%(24)
Slovene0.1%(22)
Latvian0%(21)
Israeli0%(19)
Syrian0%(16)
Turkish0.1%(14)
Kenyan0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
19.8%
−3.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 23.6% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
83.4%
−4.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 88.0% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
6.6%
−1.3 ptsvs 2000
vs 7.9% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.3 min
+42%vs 2000
vs 13.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married32.2%(29,598)
Married53%(48,713)
Widowed3.2%(2,956)
Divorced11.6%(10,633)
Women 15+
Never married25.8%(25,017)
Married49.5%(47,955)
Widowed9.7%(9,405)
Divorced15%(14,559)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
8.4%
−3.8 ptssince 2013
from 12.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
60.5%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 62.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 20.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.9%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 76.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
34.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 32.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)26.9%(3,881)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.5%(3,397)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.5%(5,568)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.7%(675)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(74)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 14,452 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
In this metro

Largest cities

TopekaCENTRAL125,795Holton3,396Osage City2,784Silver Lake1,316Carbondale1,296Auburn1,272Rossville1,088Oskaloosa1,060Valley Falls1,055Lyndon1,032Overbrook985Burlingame925Perry848McLouth832Vassar832Alma830Meriden709Scranton637Maple Hill628Ozawkie617Hoyt593Nortonville579Tecumseh457Winchester440Eskridge427Alta Vista401Mayetta353Melvern340Quenemo286McFarland274

The 30 most populous of 45 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

5 component counties

Shawnee CountyCENTRAL178,607Jefferson County18,296Osage County15,693Jackson County13,438Wabaunsee County7,018
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Topeka

Athens
Pop 224,148
Panama City
Pop 231,174
Punta Gorda
Pop 217,212
Prescott Valley
Pop 252,552
Places similar to Topeka
Head to head

Compare Topeka side by side

TOPEKA VS
Athens
Income$69,695+139%
Home value$314,999+509%
Population224,148−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TOPEKA VS
Panama City
Income$71,687+146%
Home value$293,695+468%
Population231,174−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TOPEKA VS
Punta Gorda
Income$69,952+140%
Home value$328,900+536%
Population217,212−7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TOPEKA VS
Prescott Valley
Income$69,613+139%
Home value$425,200+722%
Population252,552+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Topeka, KS?

Topeka, KS has about 210,257 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Topeka, KS?

The typical household in Topeka, KS earns about $29,139 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Topeka, KS expensive?

In Topeka, KS, the median home is worth about $51,723, and the typical rent is about $362 a month.

How educated are people in Topeka, KS?

About 19.8% of adults age 25 and over in Topeka, KS hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Topeka, KS?

About 10.1% of people in Topeka, KS live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →