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METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Topeka Metro

Topeka, KS · 5 counties · 224,551 residents · 3,232.713 sq mi
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The short version

Topeka has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $41,125. Population has held roughly steady since 1990. Median home value has risen by half since 1990, reaching $79,258.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 37.4
US median: 35.2
Average education
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
224,551
+7%since 1990
from 210,257 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
69 / sq mi
+7%since 1990
from 65 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
37.4
+9%since 1990
from 34.3 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
208K215K222K229K237K1990201020202024Topeka
2024232K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.7%(15,054)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97%(15,680)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.4%(16,694)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.3%(16,447)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 245.7%(12,730)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.3%(27,615)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.8%(35,501)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.5%(32,565)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.3%(20,956)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.2%(16,097)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.9%(10,984)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.9%(4,228)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$41,125
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $29,139 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,312
+51%since 1990
from $13,452 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
9.1%
−0.9 ptssince 1990
from 10.1% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$79,258
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $51,723 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$477
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 1990
from $362 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
71.0%
+1.0 ptssince 1990
from 70.0% in 1990
29.0% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Topeka on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.6%
+3.9 ptssince 1990
from 19.8% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
88.0%
+4.6 ptssince 1990
from 83.4% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
7.9%
+1.3 ptssince 1990
from 6.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.6 min
−30%since 1990
from 19.3 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25.5%(21,661)
Married61.3%(52,094)
Widowed2.7%(2,283)
Divorced10.5%(8,903)
Women 15+
Never married20.3%(18,701)
Married55.8%(51,375)
Widowed10.7%(9,868)
Divorced13.2%(12,143)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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+69%
Home value$314,999+297%
Population224,148−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TOPEKA VS
Panama City
Income$71,687+74%
Home value$293,695+271%
Population231,174−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TOPEKA VS
Punta Gorda
Income$69,952+70%
Home value$328,900+315%
Population217,212−7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
TOPEKA VS
Prescott Valley
Income$69,613+69%
Home value$425,200+436%
Population252,552+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Topeka, KS?

Topeka, KS has about 224,551 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Topeka, KS?

The typical household in Topeka, KS earns about $41,125 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 $79,258, and the typical rent is about $477 a month.

How educated are people in Topeka, KS?

About 23.6% 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 9.1% of people in Topeka, KS live below the federal poverty line.

Has Topeka, KS grown since 1990?

Yes, Topeka, KS has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,294 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.

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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 →