Manhattan, KS vs Topeka, KS

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

MetricManhattan, KSTopeka, KS
Population54,239125,786
Median Household Income$60,172$56,956
Median Rent$1,003/mo$979/mo
Median Home Value$246,700$144,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)9089
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income50.1%42.3%
Poverty Rate23.3%15.7%
Unemployment Rate3.1%4%
Violent Crime Rate /100k286*882
Property Crime Rate /100k1,169*3,467
Median AQI—44
Good AQI Days /yr—234
Summer Highs89°F87°F
Winter Lows21°F22°F
Snowfall18 in/yr17 in/yr
Avg Commute17.3 min16.7 min
Hospitals23
Avg Hospital Rating4.0 / 53.7 / 5
Students per Teacher14.813.2
College Degree Rate53.3%29%
Foreign-Born %7.6%5.1%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.1%-0.6%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices Manhattan (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.