Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Topeka, Kansas
A $131,000 home here costs
$1,230per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $673. The real number is $556 higher every month — 83% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Topeka against Shawnee County and Kansas
| Measure | Topeka | Shawnee County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,600 | $170,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,991 | $2,500 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.525% | 1.467% |
| Median gross rent | $947 | $970 |
| Population | 126,103 | 178,315 |
The weather behind that power bill
Topeka sits in Shawnee County, which averages a high of 90.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.0°F in its coldest, with 36.53" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,534 cooling and 4,860 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Shawnee County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Shawnee County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Topeka?
A $131,000 home in Topeka, Kansas costs approximately $1,230 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $673 principal and interest, $166 property tax, $76 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $109 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Topeka?
Topeka has an effective property tax rate of 1.525%, based on a median home value of $130,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,991. That is higher than the Shawnee County average of 1.467%.
What is the average home price in Topeka?
The median owner-occupied home value in Topeka, Kansas is $130,600, against $170,400 across Shawnee County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Topeka?
Median gross rent in Topeka is $947 a month, against $1,230 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Topeka — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.