Shawnee vs Topeka
Shawnee, 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.
Shawnee 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 | Shawnee | Topeka |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $101k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $44k |
| Home Value | $307k | $125k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $926 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 1.55% |
| Income Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Sales Tax | 8.75% | 8.75% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 12.21% | 12.17% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 80°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8 in | 37.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4 in | 17.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 260 days | 275 days |
| Summer Humidity | 67°F | 67°F |
| Comfortable Days | 74 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 53.3 | 55.6 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 40.9 | 65.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1037/100k | 2547/100k |
| Property Crime | 1417/100k | 3708/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 67,671 | 126,431 |
| Median Age | 37.9 | 37.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.45 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+32 | Even |
| White (%) | 78.8% | 66.1% |
| Black (%) | 6.5% | 9.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.8% | 16.4% |
| Asian (%) | 3.3% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 6.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 7.2/20 | 12.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 20 mi | 57 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.7% | 80.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.01 | 22.38 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Shawnee or Topeka more affordable?
- Topeka has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Shawnee's $47k and Topeka's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Shawnee versus $926 in Topeka.
- Is Shawnee or Topeka safer?
- Shawnee has the lower violent crime rate. Shawnee reports 1037/100k and Topeka reports 2547/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Shawnee or Topeka?
- The median home value is $307k in Shawnee and $125k in Topeka, so homes are more affordable in Topeka.