Overland Park vs Topeka
Overland Park, Kansas versus Topeka, Kansas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Overland Park and Topeka score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Overland Park | Topeka |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $101k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $44k |
| Home Value | $362k | $125k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $926 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.08% | 1.55% |
| Income Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Sales Tax | 8.75% | 8.75% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.48% | 12.17% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6 in | 37.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8 in | 17.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 260 days | 275 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 75 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 37.9 | 55.6 |
| Air Quality | 50 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.3 | 65.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1140/100k | 2547/100k |
| Property Crime | 2413/100k | 3708/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 196,676 | 126,431 |
| Median Age | 38.4 | 37.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 75.6% | 66.1% |
| Black (%) | 4.7% | 9.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.0% | 16.4% |
| Asian (%) | 9.0% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 6.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 10.9/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 27 mi | 57 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.2% | 80.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 24.30 | 22.38 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Overland Park or Topeka more affordable?
- Topeka has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Overland Park's $55k and Topeka's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Overland Park versus $926 in Topeka.
- Is Overland Park or Topeka safer?
- Overland Park has the lower violent crime rate. Overland Park reports 1140/100k and Topeka reports 2547/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Overland Park or Topeka?
- The median home value is $362k in Overland Park and $125k in Topeka, so homes are more affordable in Topeka.