Uprootmap
Topeka vs St. Joseph
Topeka and St. Joseph
Photo: Tim Kiser / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.5
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in St. Joseph are above the US rate in this release, 8.4 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Topeka to St. Joseph
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Topeka to St. Joseph above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,022 in Topeka and $754 in St. Joseph. Topeka has a state tax on wages. St. Joseph has a state tax on wages. Local pay in St. Joseph is 87% of the national level for the same work, against 93% in Topeka.
St. Joseph averages 220 sunny days, with July highs around 86°F and January nights around 21°F. Topeka is 223 sunny days, 88°F in July, 22°F in January. Commutes average 19 minutes in St. Joseph and 20 in Topeka.
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 Topeka → St. Joseph 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 Topeka and St. Joseph 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
Explore more
Dig into St. Joseph
Questions
Is St. Joseph cheaper than Topeka after tax and rent?
Yes. St. Joseph leaves about $371 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,022 in Topeka and $754 in St. Joseph.
Does St. Joseph have state income tax?
St. Joseph is in Missouri, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Topeka to St. Joseph?
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.