Where is Topeka, KS?

Quick facts

TOPEKA

The capital city of Kansas is located in the northeast corner of the state on the banks of the Kansas River. Topeka is located on the historic Oregon Trail where pioneers crossed the river via Papin's Ferry.

Missouri is about 60 miles to the east and Nebraska about 80 miles to the north, making visits to these states an easy jaunt on a Midwest vacation.

There are lots of great things to do in Topeka, including the Combat Air Museum, natural history and art museums, theaters, botanical gardens, and lots of parks. As with most of Kansas, Topeka can draw avid storm chasers with its not uncommon thunderstorms, hail, and tornadoes. Storms pass quickly though, and the sunshine becomes brilliant in moments.

For those looking for a family friendly place to live, people are neighborly here and opportunities are solid with government, education, social services, retail and manufacturing creating the most jobs.

Topeka is in the heart of the Bible Belt and is often referred to as the birthplace of Pentecostalism. This was the home of Reverend Charles Sheldon, a Kansas resident who coined the now famous phrase "What Would Jesus Do?"

• The word Topeka means "to dig good potatoes" in the native Kansa language.
• The installation of bathtubs in Topeka is prohibited. (We hope showers are Ok!)
• Topeka is one of the top United States cities for widest variations in temperature, climate, and winds. Temperature averages range from 17° F in January to 90° F in July.

Check out our Topeka attractions map for these other great things to do on a Kansas vacation:

• Kansas State Capitol
  The historic Kansas State Capital Building is rated among the top destinations of the city for visitors of all ages. The Capitol contains vast murals and other large-scale artworks depicting the history of Kansas and the United States of America. Free tours are offered, with options of a Historic tour or Dome tour. Visit the outside dome viewing area at the very top of the state building for magnificent views of the entire city. Highlights include the breathtaking stained glass dome and the triple fountains that guard the entrance to the Kansas State Capitol Building.
• Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education National Historic Site
  This site is dedicated to the landmark 1952 civil rights decision, the first decisive step in ending legal segregation in public schools. As is appropriate, this educational monument is located in the preserved Monroe Elementary School. The Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka was actually a consolidation of five similar cases from Kansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, South Carolina, and Virginia. The site contains exhibits and documentation of the trial and associated cases and with video clips of arguably one of the most important trials of the century.
• The Topeka Zoo
  Topeka Zoological Park is a world class zoo famous for the first golden eagle chick born in captivity. The Zoo runs conservation and education programs throughout the state, with outreach to the Kansas school systems. A wide range of exhibits shows animals in nearly natural environments and includes the African Savannah, Black Bear Woods, Tropical Rainforest and Jungle Cats. Special summer courses and a children's zoo cater to the younger folks. This is an all day family adventure to round out a great Kansas vacation.

Maps

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Topeka has a population of around 127672, of which 61316 (48%) are male and 66356 (51%) are female. The average age of the inhabitants of Topeka is 38.02, meaning that the average person is above the national median age of 37. For every male, there are approximately 1.08 females, meaning that the population is relatively evenly distributed between males and female(s).

Of Topeka's 127672 residents, around 119660 (93.70%) identify as having a single race. The majority of the population is white, which consists of 78.60% of the population. Of the remaining population, 13210 are black/African Americans (10.30%), 1233 are native Americans (1.00%), 1712 are asians (1.30%), 54 are pacific islanders (0.00%), 3078 are other (2.40%).

The median income of households in Topeka is $42250.00, meaning that most of the households are above the poverty threshold for families of three. Of the total population, 8.50% of households reported an annual income of less than $10,000.

Topeka, KS Zipcodes

The city of Topeka has 20 zipcodes recognized by the United States Census Bureau: 66409, 66546, 66603, 66604, 66605, 66606, 66607, 66608, 66609, 66610, 66611, 66612, 66614, 66615, 66616, 66617, 66618, 66619, 66621, 66622.