Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Overland Park, KS
VS
Topeka, KS
🏆 Overland Park leads 13 of 23 categories
Overland Park
Kansas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676 ✓ Larger
Topeka
Kansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,052
Violent Crime Index
225⚠ High
Population
126,431
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
Households earn $46,824 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Topeka
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.2%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $361,800
Higher rents — median is $1,378/mo
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Topeka
Topeka, KS
Pros
Homes cost $237k less ($124,700 vs $361,800)
Rent averages $452/mo less ($926 vs $1,378)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.9)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Overland Park
Cons
Median income trails Overland Park by $46,824/yr
Violent crime (856.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3642.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.0% vs 3.2%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Median Income
$46,824
$100,876 vs $54,052/yr
Overland Park
Violent Crime
78% lower
184.4 vs 856.5 per 100k
Overland Park
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.0% unemployment
Topeka
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 85.9 vs 93.3 (100 = US avg)
Topeka
Median Home Value
$237k less
$124,700 vs $361,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Overland Park, KS | Topeka, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 | 85.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High | $124,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,378⚠ High | $926 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,876 ✓ Higher | $54,052 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min | 17.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 19.5% ✓ Higher | 8.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 205⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 225⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 173⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.3:1 | 12.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 28.5% |
| High School or Higher | 97.2% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Blue Valley | Topeka Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F | 39.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F | 88.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" | 37.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" ✓ Less | 17.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,676 ✓ Larger | 126,431 |
| Median Age | 38.4 ✓ Older | 37.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% ✓ Higher | 59.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.1% | 18.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overland Park's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Topeka's 85.9 (US average = 100).
Topeka is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 13 of 23 categories. Overland Park wins 13 and Topeka wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Overland Park to Topeka or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $124,700 median home), income ($100,876 vs $54,052), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Overland Park, KS and Topeka, KS are about 55 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.