66606 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
66605
66606
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 23%
vs46 · Bottom 31%
Growth
50 · Top 50%
vs50 · Top 50%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 41%
vs66 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 32%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 66605 | 66606 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,891 | 9,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,106 | $57,169 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,594 | $37,090 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,089/sq mi | 1,708/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $170,500 | $130,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $884 | $999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 57.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.6% | -2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 35.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 13.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 308 | 308 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.9% | -17.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.5" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 15.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.93 | 13.03 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.5% | 68.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 66605 — Topeka, KS · 66606 — Topeka, KS · How this is calculated: methodology