Topeka, Kansas Population 2023

126,320

Topeka is a city located in Shawnee County Kansas. It is also the county seat of Shawnee County. With a 2023 population of 126,320, it is the 5th largest city in Kansas and the 241st largest city in the United States.Topeka is currently declining at a rate of -0.07% annually and its population has decreased by -0.21% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 126,587 in 2020. Spanning over 63 miles, Topeka has a population density of 2,056 people per square mile.

The average household income in Topeka is $63,811 with a poverty rate of 16.64%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Topeka is 38.1 years, 36.2 years for males, and 40.1 years for females.

The city’s top employer is the State of Kansas, employing more than 8,000 people. Over 22% of residents work in the educational, health and social services industry, with the city’s four school districts employing about 4,700 people and Washburn University providing around 1,650 jobs.

Topeka Population Growth

Topeka’s population has seen its ups and downs throughout the years, with some censuses showing significant, rapid growth while others reflect smaller percentages of growth or even declining numbers. Most recently, the population is down 0.5% since the 2010 census. However, this downward trend is not expected to continue, although a rapid growth of the city is not likely any time in the near future.

As with other cities located in the Great Plains, Topeka was initially inhabited by native tribes. The land that is now Kansas changed ownership several times throughout the 16th and 18th centuries. At the beginning of the 19th century, ownership went to the United States following the Louisiana Purchase.

It was during the 1840s when a ferry service was established crossing the Kansas River. While settlers could cross the river, the area that is now Topeka was not yet developed. It was when a military road was developed in the 1850s when the area was settled. A cabin was built in 1854 and the Topeka Town Association was established. It was during the next decade when the city became a hub for commercial activity.

It was also during this time when the state was admitted to the Union and was the 34th state in the United States. Topeka was selected as the capital. The construction of the capitol building began in 1866 but took 37 years to complete.

Population growth was slow because of a drought in the 1860s and the Civil War. However, once the war was over the city began to grow. During this time, many former slaves settled in Topeka, and Washburn University was also established as the population and the city itself grew. A depression in the late 19th century could have been disastrous but residents made it through, and the population doubled. The population continued to grow with the introduction of the automobile industry, with Topeka serving as the site of the Smith Automobile Company, which was in business for ten years. Another notable fact about Topeka at this time was that it was the site of Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, a Supreme Court case that overturned Plessy vs. Ferguson and made racial segregation in schools illegal. However, despite the court ruling, racial discrimination continued to burden the city for many years.

The city was struck by a devastating tornado in 1966. The city suffered about $100 million in damage because of the tornado and was one of the most expensive in history. However, the city did recover, and its economy and population continued to grow. However, the 1970s saw a drop in population with the closing of Forbes Air Force Base, with more than 10,000 people leaving the city. Population and the city grew again in the next decade with the construction of a mall, airport and convention center.

Today, the city continues to grow as more jobs are created, and the city plans to redevelop many areas, including the State Capitol.

Topeka Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Topeka was:

  • White: 76.64%
  • Black or African American: 10.53%
  • Two or more races: 5.45%
  • Other race: 4.71%
  • Asian: 1.69%
  • Native American: 0.92%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.05%
The current population of Topeka, Kansas is 126,320 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 126,587.

Topeka, Kansas Population 2023

Population by Race

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Topeka Population by Race

Topeka Population Pyramid 2023

Topeka Median Age

38.1

Total

36.2

Male

40.1

Female

Topeka Adults

There are 97,051 adults, (22,821 of whom are seniors) in Topeka.

Topeka Age Dependency

69.5

Age Dependency Ratio

30.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

38.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Topeka Sex Ratio

Female65,86552.35%
Male59,95447.65%

Topeka Population by Age

Topeka Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

2.97

Average Family Size

2.24

Average Household Size

58.6%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Topeka Households and Families

Male

Female

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Topeka Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Topeka Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among islander people with a rate of 74.14%.

Topeka Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

$37,533

Average Earnings

$41,960

Average Male

$33,103

Average Female

Topeka Earnings by Educational Attainment

Topeka Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Topeka Language

90.23% of Topeka residents speak only English, while 9.77% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 7.94% of the population.

Topeka Language

Topeka Poverty by Race

rate

16.64%

Overall Poverty Rate

12.47%

Male Poverty Rate

15.2%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Topeka

The race most likely to be in poverty in Topeka is Black, with 32.64% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Topeka is Asian, with 5.73% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.12%. Among those working part-time, it was 19.03%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 21.3%.

Topeka Poverty

Topeka Poverty Rate by Education

Topeka Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Topeka Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Topeka Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

44.0%

Overall Marriage Rate

47.2%

Male Marriage Rate

41.2%

Female Marriage Rate

Topeka Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Topeka Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Topeka Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Topeka Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

8,112

Number of Veterans

7,584

Male Veterans

528

Female Veterans

Topeka Veterans by War

Topeka Veterans by Age

count

Topeka Veterans by Race

Topeka Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

10.7%

Veteran Poverty Rate

31.97%

Veteran Disability Rate

Topeka Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

62.3%

Labor Force Participation

59%

Employment Rate

4.9%

Unemployment Rate

Topeka Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Topeka Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Topeka Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

67.47%

Born in Topeka

94.54%

Native Born

4.85%

Foreign Born

3.09%

Non Citizen

1.76%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

94.54% of Topeka residents were born in the United States, with 67.47% having been born in Kansas. 3.09% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Topeka Place of Birth

Note: data after 2020 is projected based on recent growth

Topeka Population by Year