Map the Block › Places › Kansas › Topeka
Topeka, Kansas by the numbers
The violent-crime rate in Topeka was 8.6 per 1,000 residents in 2024, 86% higher than the statewide rate (4.6). Its median household earns $56,956 and the median home value is $144,200. Population: about 125,786 (Census, 2020-2024). Topeka is the capital of Kansas.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2024. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income by neighborhood · home values · schools
What is the crime rate in Topeka?
Topeka's violent-crime rate for 2024 was 8.6 per 1,000 residents, based on 1,072 offenses reported to the FBI. That is 86% higher than the Kansas rate (4.6), and about 2.4 times the national rate (3.6). 20 of the violent crimes were murders or non-negligent manslaughter. There were also 4,559 property crimes, a rate of 36.4 per 1,000. The yearly count has been fairly flat since 2021 (1,075 then).
| Offense (2024) | Topeka count | Per 1,000 | Kansas per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 1,072 | 8.6 | 4.6 | 3.6 |
| Murder | 20 | 0.16 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
| Rape | 59 | 0.47 | 0.47 | 0.39 |
| Robbery | 101 | 0.81 | 0.33 | 0.61 |
| Aggravated assault | 892 | 7.1 | 3.8 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 4,559 | 36.4 | 21.1 | 17.6 |
| Burglary | 798 | 6.4 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| Larceny-theft | 3,135 | 25.0 | 15.7 | 12.7 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 626 | 5.0 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
How has crime in Topeka changed since 2021?
| Year | Violent crimes | Property crimes | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,075 | 5,301 | 16 |
| 2022 | 1,211 | 4,659 | 13 |
| 2023 | 1,207 | 5,108 | 26 |
| 2024 | 1,072 | 4,559 | 20 |
| 2025 | not reported in full | – | – |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. City figures are the Topeka Police Department's own reports.
How does Topeka compare with Kansas?
The median household income in Topeka is $56,956, 23% lower than the Kansas median ($74,275). The median owner-occupied home is worth $144,200 by owners' estimates, and half of renters pay more than $979 a month. About 125,786 people live on 62 square miles of land, roughly 2,032 per square mile. The city lies in Shawnee County.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Topeka | Kansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 125,786 | 2,947,197 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $56,956 | $74,275 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $144,200 | $217,200 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $979 | $1,060 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.9% | 3.9% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 15.7% | 11.3% | 12.5% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 29.0% | 35.6% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 59.0% | 67.2% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.4 | 38.9 |
What environmental sites and hazards are in Topeka?
No active Superfund site is listed in Topeka. 1 former site has finished cleanup and been taken off EPA's National Priorities List: Hydro-Flex Inc.. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
Topeka has 4 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 3 are rated Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: South Branch Dam (33 ft) and Lauren's Bay Pond (28 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Shawnee County as “Relatively Moderate”. The hazards rated highest here are tornadoes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Is there road construction in Topeka?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 5 highway work zones in Topeka city limits (all active that day). Listed roads include I-70 and US 24. 4 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in or near Topeka?
Inside the city limits there are 30 public schools (2024-25) and 10 private schools (2023-24). 13 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes are in the city. Within about 15 miles: Park Service units in the area: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. 2 state parks or recreation areas: Kaw River State Park and Perry State Park.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Topeka
Gun shops
9 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map inside the Topeka city limits (7 from the ATF licensee list, 2 from OpenStreetMap), plus 8 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 4 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Academy Sports + Outdoors #225 (Topeka), Capitol City Pawn & Jewelry (Topeka), Capitol City Pawn & Jewelry #1 (Topeka), Highland Crest Pawn (Topeka), Integrity Gun & Pawn LLC (Topeka), Point Blank Weapons (Topeka) and Walmart #1802 (Topeka).
Liquor stores
29 liquor stores are on the map inside the Topeka city limits: Aquarian Liquor (Topeka), Barrel House Liquor (Topeka), Beck's Liquor Store (Topeka), Brookwood Retail Liquor (Topeka), Charlie's Liquor (Topeka), College Hill Liquor Store (Topeka), Devlin's Wine and Spirits (Topeka), Devlins Wine and Spirits (Topeka) and 21 more. Kansas has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center inside the Topeka city limits on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Topeka?
In 2024, Topeka had 8.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (1,072 reported), 86% higher than the Kansas rate (4.6). The property-crime rate was 36.4 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Topeka?
$56,956 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024), compared with $74,275 for Kansas.
How much do homes cost in Topeka?
The median value of owner-occupied homes is $144,200 (Census ACS 2020-2024), against $217,200 statewide.
What natural hazards affect Topeka?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Shawnee County as “Relatively Moderate”. The hazards rated highest here are tornadoes (Relatively High).
Nearby cities
Lawrence, KS (24 mi) · Shawnee, KS (48 mi) · Lenexa, KS (48 mi) · Olathe, KS (48 mi) · Manhattan, KS (50 mi) · Kansas City, KS (52 mi)
More: Kansas statewide numbers · county page: Shawnee County · Sex-offender registry search (NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, agency counts 2021-2025 (Return A); state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables, for the Census place Topeka city.
- Land area: Census 2024 Gazetteer. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores (county level).
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026).
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026).
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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