Uprootmap
St. Joseph vs Topeka
St. Joseph and Topeka
Photo: Mike Linksvayer / Wikimedia, CC0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Topeka are above the US rate in this release, 10.6 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at St. Joseph to Topeka
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from St. Joseph to Topeka above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $754 in St. Joseph and $1,022 in Topeka. St. Joseph has a state tax on wages. Topeka has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Topeka is 93% of the national level for the same work, against 87% in St. Joseph.
Topeka averages 223 sunny days, with July highs around 88°F and January nights around 22°F. St. Joseph is 220 sunny days, 86°F in July, 21°F in January. Commutes average 20 minutes in Topeka and 19 in St. Joseph.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough St. Joseph → Topeka pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between St. Joseph and Topeka changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 93 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,600–$3,050
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,050
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Topeka
Questions
Is Topeka cheaper than St. Joseph after tax and rent?
No. Topeka leaves about $371 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $754 in St. Joseph and $1,022 in Topeka.
Does Topeka have state income tax?
Topeka is in Kansas, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from St. Joseph to Topeka?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.