Topeka vs Olathe
The short version
- Topeka is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Olathe area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $144,200 in Topeka and $364,700 in Olathe.
- Households earn more in Olathe ($114,009 vs $56,956 median).
- Olathe is growing faster: +6.2% since 2020 vs -0.6%.
- Commutes are shorter in Topeka (17 vs 21 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Topeka, KS | Olathe, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 125,795 | 150,025 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.6% | +6.2% |
| People per square mile | 2,032 | 2,329 |
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 51% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $56,956 | $114,009 |
| Median home value | $144,200 | $364,700 |
| Home value to income | 2.5× | 3.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $979 | $1,314 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 88.8 | 92.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 65.0 | 86.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $66,600 | $69,400 |
| Homeowners | 59% | 75% |
| Top state income tax | 5.58% | 5.58% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.71% | 8.71% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.7 | 20.6 |
| Work from home | 11% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.9% | 2.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 40° / 20° | 39° / 20° |
| July high / low | 90° / 69° | 88° / 69° |
| Precipitation per year | 37 in | 41 in |
| Snowfall per year | 17 in | 14 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 50 | 34 |
| Nights below freezing | 114 | 98 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 88.0 | 94.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 64% | 49% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.6% | +3.2% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.6% | +42.4% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Topeka: April and September to October. Olathe: April and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Topeka weather by month and Olathe weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $66,600 in Topeka and $69,400 in Olathe. Moving from Topeka to Olathe, you would need about $78,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Topeka and Olathe
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Topeka and Olathe.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.