Markets  ›  KS  ›  Topeka

Topeka, KS housing market

Topeka, KS metro median sale price $226K in Jul–Sep 2026, up 8.0% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the Topeka, KS metro is $226K over Jul–Sep 2026, up 8.0% from the same 3 months a year earlier. That is the 32nd-largest year-over-year gain of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro shows a smaller change, up 5.6% through Q2 2026, 2.4 points apart; Price reconciliation below shows both.

Topeka has the lowest median sale price of the four Kansas metros Pecan Street tracks ($226K); Wichita ($256K) is next. Topeka ties Lawrence for the fewest median days on market of the four Kansas metros (43 days). Topeka has the highest share of listings with a price cut of the four Kansas metros (44%), ahead of Lawrence (42%).

Listings spent a median 43 days on market in Oct 2026, the 35th-fewest of the 385 metros. 44% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 6.3 points lower. That share is higher than in most of the 385 metros. Median asking prices sit about 10% above the median sale price. Building permits authorized 29 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $1,220 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $52K a year. The median sale price equals about 12 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio down 3.9% from a year earlier. That ratio is the 26th-lowest of the 373 metros. Active listings ask a median $137 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is up 4.8%.

In three of the five ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are higher than a year earlier; two are lower.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$226K

+8.0% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$1,220/mo

$52K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How Topeka compares to other U.S. metros

Price-to-rent↓348th of 373
Days on market↓351st of 385
Home-price growth↑32nd of 383 (top 9%)
Price cuts↑53rd of 385 (top 14%)
Asking-vs-sale gap↑52nd of 300 (top 18%)

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 12 -3.9% YoY
↓348th of 373
Asking price / sq ft$137 +4.8% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Oct 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 44% -6.3 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
↑53rd of 385 (top 14%)
New housing units permitted29

The median asking price $250K runs about 10% above the median sale price $226K.

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Oct 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. Asking is the median list price of active listings (Realtor.com, Oct 2026); sale is the headline median of recent closings (Redfin, Jul–Sep 2026) — distinct sources and windows, so the gap is a directional read, not a like-for-like difference. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data5 shown of 56
MLS board of record—
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Housing Economy

Topeka · ConstructionCOPIED

Topeka builders pulled 1.2% fewer single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the Topeka metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct91827364520252026
AprJulOct91827364520252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec2025—
Nov1825—
Oct4532—
Sep232917
Aug242642
Jul413030
Jun192030
May302937
Apr344237
Mar253320
Feb242422
Jan151712

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the Topeka metro area pulled 329 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 1.2% fewer than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 1.2% below the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the Topeka area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

Topeka · Home pricesCOPIED

Topeka home prices are 5.6% higher than a year ago

Home prices in the Topeka metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

1990200020102020-7%0%7%14%21%Topeka
1990200020102020-7%0%7%14%21%Topeka
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateTopeka
Jun 20265.6%
Mar 20262%
Dec 20251.9%
Sep 20256.5%
Jun 20256.4%
Mar 20256.2%
Dec 202410%
Sep 20243.5%
Jun 20244.8%
Mar 202412.5%
Dec 20235.2%
Sep 20238.9%
Jun 20235.8%
Mar 20234.8%
Dec 202210.3%
Sep 202213%
Jun 202218.4%
Mar 202217.1%
Dec 202116.4%
Sep 202115.4%
Jun 202112.7%
Mar 20217.6%
Dec 20206.4%
Sep 20206.3%
Jun 20203.1%
Mar 20206.7%
Dec 20195%
Sep 20194.2%
Jun 20194.1%
Mar 20191.4%
Dec 20183.7%
Sep 20184%
Jun 20183.3%
Mar 20184.7%
Dec 20173.8%
Sep 20172.6%
Jun 20174.4%
Mar 20173.5%
Dec 20161.5%
Sep 20162.7%
Jun 20162.2%
Mar 20162.8%
Dec 20152.5%
Sep 20152.2%
Jun 20152.7%
Mar 20151.6%
Dec 20141.7%
Sep 20141.8%
Jun 20140.5%
Mar 2014-1.2%
Dec 2013-0.4%
Sep 2013-1.1%
Jun 2013-0.6%
Mar 20130.2%
Dec 2012-0.5%
Sep 2012-0.3%
Jun 20121.8%
Mar 2012-0.2%
Dec 2011-0.6%
Sep 2011-0.8%
Jun 2011-1.8%
Mar 2011-1.8%
Dec 20100.4%
Sep 20100.2%
Jun 2010-2.4%
Mar 2010-1.6%
Dec 2009-1%
Sep 2009-0.8%
Jun 20090.3%
Mar 2009-0.3%
Dec 2008-0.3%
Sep 2008-1.1%
Jun 2008-0.9%
Mar 20080.8%
Dec 20070.9%
Sep 20071.9%
Jun 20072.9%
Mar 20073.4%
Dec 20062%
Sep 20062.2%
Jun 20062.3%
Mar 20063%
Dec 20055%
Sep 20055.6%
Jun 20056.3%
Mar 20055.5%
Dec 20045.1%
Sep 20045.3%
Jun 20043.9%
Mar 20044%
Dec 20034%
Sep 20033.1%
Jun 20033.9%
Mar 20034.6%
Dec 20024.3%
Sep 20024.8%
Jun 20024.7%
Mar 20024.5%
Dec 20015.7%
Sep 20015.2%
Jun 20016.3%
Mar 20016.8%
Dec 20004.3%
Sep 20004.7%
Jun 20002.6%
Mar 20002.5%
Dec 19992.8%
Sep 19993.9%
Jun 19994%
Mar 19992.2%
Dec 19985.2%
Sep 19984.4%
Jun 19984.3%
Mar 19983.4%
Dec 19971.9%
Sep 19972%
Jun 19970.2%
Mar 19974%
Dec 19962.8%
Sep 19963.2%
Jun 19965.2%
Mar 19965.9%
Dec 19957.7%
Sep 19953.1%
Jun 19954.3%
Mar 19952.7%
Dec 19941.8%
Sep 19944.3%
Jun 19945.1%
Mar 19944.9%
Dec 19932.5%
Sep 19934.8%
Jun 19932.4%
Mar 19931.5%
Dec 19923.9%
Sep 19921%
Jun 19921.6%
Mar 19922.1%
Dec 19910.8%
Sep 19911.7%
Jun 19912.8%
Mar 1991-1.3%
Dec 19901.7%
Sep 19901.3%
Jun 1990-0.1%
Mar 19905.6%
Dec 1989-0.2%
Sep 19894.5%
Jun 19892.4%
Mar 19891.4%
Dec 19887.9%
Sep 19880.3%
Jun 19881.3%
Mar 1988-0.7%
Dec 1987-3.1%
Sep 19871%
Jun 19873.1%
Mar 19873.4%
Dec 19864.3%
Sep 19867.8%
Jun 19861.6%
Mar 19862.5%
Dec 1985-2.3%
Sep 1985-6%
Jun 1985-0.4%
Mar 1985-0.8%
Dec 19841.5%
Sep 19847.1%
Jun 19846.2%
Mar 19845.2%
Dec 19839.3%
Sep 19831.5%
Sep 1982-5.1%
Sep 19814.9%
Jun 19812.5%
Mar 19812.3%
Dec 19806.3%
Sep 19800.7%
Jun 19804.5%
Mar 19803.9%
Dec 19793.6%
Sep 19798.2%
Jun 19799.6%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Topeka metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 5.6% above its level a year earlier. Since 1979, prices have risen an average of 3.4% a year. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Topeka home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

amber · 2.4pp

Redfin (metro)

+8.0%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+5.6%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

Market dispatches

Citable market dispatches for Topeka → Latest dispatch: Oct 30, 2026.

More markets in KS

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
66604$177K↓62↑3620↓35↑$162K↓
66605$194K↑44↑24↑16↑37↑$160K↓
66606$159K↑25↑16↓12↑38↑$138K↓
66610$394K↓281212↓39↑$390K↓
66614$273K↑57↑36↑40↑30↑$242K↓

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.