Emporia, KS vs Topeka, KS

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricEmporia, KSTopeka, KS
Population24,131125,786
Median Household Income$52,704$56,956
Median Rent$815/mo$979/mo
Median Home Value$132,700$144,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)—89
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income38.7%42.3%
Poverty Rate17.8%15.7%
Unemployment Rate5.1%4%
Violent Crime Rate /100k266882
Property Crime Rate /100k1,8633,467
Median AQI—44
Good AQI Days /yr—234
Summer Highs86°F87°F
Winter Lows21°F22°F
Snowfall16 in/yr17 in/yr
Avg Commute12.3 min16.7 min
Hospitals13
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 53.7 / 5
Students per Teacher14.913.2
College Degree Rate24.4%29%
Foreign-Born %13.6%5.1%
Population Growth (2020–2025)0.0%-0.6%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.