Topeka, KS

The affordability dashboard for Topeka, KS aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 18 ZIP codes covering 163,415 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of B- (68/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $67,787, median home value of $167,469, median rent of $1,015 per month, and 31.0% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $1,057 per month (studio $792, 1BR $820, 3BR $1,392, 4BR $1,411). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $9,651 per year, consuming 14% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Strengths visible in the raw data for Topeka, KS include housing, commute, rent. Unemployment currently reads 4.6% and poverty 13.9% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.