Rents are 2% above what Topeka's 10-year trend predicts — running hotter than its own history.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,249 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Topeka usually run 1% below trend in January and 0.9% above it in July, about $24 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Topeka is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Topeka changed +4.5% over the year to September 2026. Across the 21 Kansas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +4.2%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Topeka rose 39.3% while median household income rose 18.7% ($47,999 to $56,956). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Topeka is 50.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($56,956) is $1,424 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,417); a 4-bedroom is $1,498.
The priciest of 6 ZIP codes in Topeka, 66614 ($1,651/mo), costs 1.7 times the cheapest, 66605 ($999/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Topeka. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Topeka, KS is majority owner-occupied, has a median income below the national average, 29% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Topeka, KS has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Topeka, KS paid around $859 a month. That figure now sits near $1,249, up 45.4% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $56,956 today, compared with $50,870 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Topeka on your salary?
At $1,249/mo, how Topeka rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Topeka rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Topeka. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Topeka
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Topeka is $1,249/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $828/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,091/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $832/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,417/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($56,956/yr), Topeka ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 4.5% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Topeka?
At $1,249/mo, rent takes ~26% of Topeka's median household income ($56,956/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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