Topeka & Shawnee County Real Estate Market Report | 24-Month Market Analysis & Year-Over-Year Trends

Topeka & Shawnee County Real Estate: Quick Facts

Topeka & Shawnee County Real Estate FAQs

These are the questions buyers, sellers, and curious homeowners actually type into search engines and ask AI assistants. We've pulled the numbers straight from the data to give you real answers.

How much does a home cost in Topeka, Kansas?

The median home price in Topeka and Shawnee County is $210,000, based on 4,512 closed sales over the past two years. The average sale price is $234,809 — higher than the median because a relatively small number of luxury sales above $500,000 pull the average upward. For most buyers, the $210,000 median is the more useful benchmark.

Topeka's price range is wide. About 15.8% of sales closed under $100,000, while 4.7% closed above $500,000. That spread means there are entry-level opportunities for first-time buyers and move-up options for buyers with more budget, all within the same market.

Are home prices going up in Topeka?

Yes. The median sale price in Topeka rose 3.79% from the first year to the second year of this analysis — from $207,150 (June 2024 through June 2025) to $215,000 (June 2025 through June 2026). The average price increased 1.89%, or about $4,402, over the same period.

That the median grew faster than the average is actually a good sign for market health. It suggests the middle of the market is gaining more value than the top, which tends to indicate broad-based demand rather than speculative luxury activity. At 3.79%, Topeka's appreciation is steady and sustainable — not the kind of spike that tends to correct sharply.

How long does it take to sell a home in Topeka?

The median days on market in Topeka is just 6 days, meaning half of all homes sold in a week or less. About 54% of homes sold within the first seven days of listing, and 13.4% sold immediately (zero days on market), many through off-market or pre-MLS arrangements.

The average days on market is 22.5 days — higher than the median because a segment of properties (about 11.3% of sales) sat on the market longer than 60 days before closing. These tend to be overpriced listings, distressed properties, or homes with condition issues. If your home is priced well and shows well, the Topeka market moves fast.

Is Topeka a seller's market or a buyer's market?

Topeka is a seller-leaning market. The most telling data point: 59.4% of all homes sold at or above their asking price over the past two years. The median list-to-sale ratio is exactly 100%, meaning the typical home sold for exactly what it was listed for. That is not a market where buyers have much leverage.

That said, it is not an extreme seller's market either. Nearly 31% of sellers offered concessions (typically closing cost help), and 25% of listings required a price reduction before selling. So while sellers generally get their price, buyers who encounter an overpriced or slower-moving listing do have some room to negotiate. The market rewards patience and strategy on both sides.

What is the price per square foot in Topeka?

The median price per square foot in Topeka is $152.45 based on above-grade finished area across all closed sales. The average is $155.28 per square foot. However, price per square foot varies considerably by home style — ranch homes tend to command more per foot than two-story homes, and bungalows carry significantly lower per-foot values due to their age and size.

If you are comparing specific homes or trying to assess value, per-square-foot benchmarks are useful but should be considered alongside location, condition, and age of the home. A renovated ranch in Southwest Topeka will carry a very different per-foot value than a historic bungalow in the core of the city.

Do sellers in Shawnee County offer closing cost help?

About 30.7% of sellers in Topeka and Shawnee County offered some form of concession over the past two years — covering a portion of the buyer's closing costs or other costs. When concessions were offered, the median amount was $5,000. That is a meaningful number for buyers who are stretching to cover their down payment and closing costs.

Whether you can negotiate concessions depends largely on the specific home. Well-priced, move-in-ready homes in popular neighborhoods are unlikely to offer much. Homes that have been sitting, required price reductions, or have condition issues are more likely candidates. Work with your agent to read the specific listing before asking.

What types of homes sell best in Topeka?

Ranch-style homes are by far the most common sale in Topeka and Shawnee County, representing 2,426 of 4,512 sales — nearly 54% of the market. They also sell quickly, with a median of 5 days on market, and command the second-highest price per square foot of any style at $172.63. Ranch homes are the dominant housing type in the area and carry strong demand across all price points.

One-and-a-half story homes (557 sales) and two-story homes (510 sales) round out the next two most common styles. Split-level and bi-level homes, while smaller portions of the market, actually move just as fast as ranches and carry competitive pricing — bi-levels hit a median of $235,000 and splits hit $250,000.

How does Topeka compare to the national real estate market?

Topeka's median home price of $210,000 remains well below the national median, which has hovered around $400,000-plus in recent years. That affordability gap is one of Topeka's most compelling features for relocating buyers and investors. You can buy a solid ranch-style home in a stable neighborhood for less than a small condo in many major metros.

At the same time, Topeka is not a stagnant market. The 3.79% year-over-year median price increase is real, sustained growth. Homes still sell in under a week at the median, and more than half close at or above asking price. Topeka offers a combination of affordability and demand momentum that is increasingly rare at the national level.

What price range has the most homes for sale in Topeka?

The $150,000 to $250,000 range is the most active segment of the Topeka market. The $150k-$200k tier and the $200k-$250k tier each account for about 15-16% of all sales, together representing roughly a third of the market. The $250k-$300k range adds another 12.7%.

That said, Topeka's under-$100k segment is also meaningful — 15.8% of sales, or about 714 homes, closed below $100,000 over the past two years. Many of these are older, smaller bungalows or distressed properties, but they represent legitimate opportunities for buyers with limited budgets or investors looking for rental properties.

How have Topeka home prices changed over the past year?

From June 2024 to June 2025, the median sale price in Topeka was $207,150. From June 2025 to June 2026, it rose to $215,000 — an increase of $7,850, or 3.79%. The average sale price moved from $232,616 to $237,018 over the same period, a gain of $4,402 (1.89%).

Sales volume was essentially flat — 2,264 sales in year one versus 2,248 in year two, a decline of less than 1%. That stability in volume, combined with rising prices, points to a market where demand has held steady even as prices move upward. The median days on market ticked down from 7 to 6 days between the two periods, suggesting the market may even be tightening slightly.

Is it a good time to buy a home in Topeka, Kansas?

Topeka remains one of the more accessible real estate markets in the Midwest, with a median sale price of $210,000 and a year-over-year appreciation rate of 3.79%. For buyers who can qualify for financing and act decisively, the fundamentals are sound. Prices are rising, but not at a pace that feels speculative or unsustainable.

The challenge is speed. The median home in Topeka sells in 6 days. If you are not pre-approved and ready to move, you will miss the well-priced, well-conditioned homes. Buyers who come prepared, know what they want, and can write an offer quickly are in a much better position than those who are still shopping casually.

Topeka Real Estate Market Overview

Over the past two years, Topeka and Shawnee County recorded 4,512 closed home sales — a figure large enough to draw meaningful conclusions about where the market stands and where it is heading. This is not a niche neighborhood report with 30 transactions. This is the full picture of one of Kansas's most active real estate markets.

The headline number is a $210,000 median sale price, up 3.79% from the prior 12-month period. That kind of growth is healthy. It reflects real demand from real buyers rather than the froth of a speculative run-up. Average prices tell a similar story at $234,809 — higher than the median because the luxury segment above $500,000 (about 4.7% of sales) pushes the average upward.

Speed is the other defining characteristic of this market. The median home sold in just 6 days. More than half of all closed sales — 54% — went under contract within the first week of listing. That is a fast market by any measure, and it tells buyers something important: hesitation costs you houses.

The list-to-sale ratio tells the same story from a pricing angle. The median home sold at exactly 100% of asking price. In practical terms, that means the typical seller got what they asked for. More than 59% of sales closed at or above the listing price. This is not a market where buyers routinely lowball and win.

Topeka offers something increasingly rare: a market where homes are genuinely affordable, genuinely selling, and genuinely appreciating. That combination does not last forever.

Topeka Market Deeper Dive: Understanding the Numbers

Days on Market: What 6 Days Actually Means

A 6-day median and a 22.5-day average might seem contradictory. Here is how to read them together. The median tells you the pace of the core market — most homes in Topeka, priced correctly and presented well, go under contract in less than a week. The average is pulled upward by a smaller group of properties that take much longer.

About 11.3% of sales took more than 60 days to close. These are usually one of three things: overpriced listings that eventually found their price, distressed or functionally obsolete properties, or homes in less-active pockets of the county. They are real transactions, but they do not represent typical market behavior.

For sellers, this means pricing matters more than nearly anything else. A well-priced home in Topeka should not sit. If your listing hits the two-week mark without activity, that is a signal to recalibrate — not to wait and hope. For buyers, the flip side is equally clear: be ready before you are looking, because by the time you are "thinking about it," the good ones are gone.

Year-Over-Year Snapshot: Topeka Real Estate Price Trends

Comparing the 12 months from June 2024 through June 2025 to the 12 months from June 2025 through June 2026 reveals a market that is growing steadily and without drama. Here is how the two periods stack up side by side.

The plain-English version: prices are up, volume is flat, and homes are selling a day faster at the median. Every one of those arrows is pointing in a healthy direction for a stable market.

One nuance worth paying attention to: the median grew faster (3.79%) than the average (1.89%). That gap matters. When the median outpaces the average, it tells you the middle of the market gained more ground than the top. Luxury and estate-level sales in Shawnee County — the $700,000-and-up transactions — can swing the average significantly. A year with fewer of those sales will compress the average even if mid-market values are climbing. That appears to be part of what happened here. The median is the more representative benchmark for most buyers and sellers, and that story is one of consistent, broad-based appreciation.

Flat sales volume paired with rising prices is also worth calling out specifically. This is not a market where prices are going up because a flood of new buyers arrived — it is a market where prices are going up because there are not enough homes to meet the demand that already exists. That is a supply story, not a demand story, and it tends to produce more durable appreciation than a demand-driven run-up would.

Pricing Accuracy and List-to-Sale Dynamics

The median list-to-sale ratio of 100.0% is remarkable. It means the typical Topeka seller received exactly what they asked for — not a dollar less, not a dollar more. The mean ratio is 98.87%, pulled down slightly by the segment of homes that required negotiation or had to cut price to close.

About 25.1% of listings — one in four — required a price reduction before closing. The median reduction was $12,575. That number deserves a little context: this is not necessarily a sign of market weakness. It largely reflects sellers who entered the market with aspirational pricing and then adjusted to reality. In a market where 59.4% of homes close at or above asking, overpriced listings stand out quickly and correct just as quickly.

Seller Concessions: Reading the Fine Print

About 30.7% of sellers contributed to buyer closing costs or other expenses. When they did, the median contribution was $5,000 and the average was $5,176. Over 4,512 sales, that represents a meaningful transfer of value from sellers to buyers — about $7.2 million in aggregate concessions across the market.

Concessions are not a sign of a weak market. In Topeka, they are partly a practical tool. Many buyers, particularly first-time buyers and FHA borrowers, have limited cash reserves. A seller who offers $5,000 toward closing costs can often attract more buyers and close faster than one who refuses to budge but lists $5,000 cheaper. Savvy sellers and listing agents understand this trade-off.

Topeka & Shawnee County Home Style Comparison

Not all home styles perform the same in the Topeka market. Here is how the major categories stack up across pricing, speed, and pricing accuracy.

Ranch Homes: The Backbone of Topeka Real Estate

Ranch homes dominate the Topeka market in every meaningful way. At 2,426 sales, they account for 53.8% of all closed transactions. The median sale price of $225,000 sits comfortably above the overall market median of $210,000, and ranch homes move fast — a median of just 5 days on market. At $172.63 per square foot, ranches command a solid premium over two-story homes and bungalows. If you own a ranch in Topeka or Shawnee County, the market is working in your favor.

1.5 Story Homes: Highest Median, Big Lots and Square Footage

One-and-a-half story homes post the highest median price of the major styles at $232,500 — approximately 3.3% more than ranch homes and 11.1% more than two-story homes. Their average of $273,559 is even further ahead, reflecting that this style shows up heavily in higher-end builds in areas like Southwest Topeka and rural Shawnee County. They sell in 6 days at the median, nearly as fast as ranches.

2 Story Homes: The Slowest but Still Competitive

Two-story homes take the longest to sell at a median of 12 days — twice as long as ranches and split-levels. They also carry the lowest price per square foot of the major styles at $115.03, roughly 33% less than ranch homes per foot. However, that lower per-foot cost is partly a function of their size — two-stories in Topeka tend to be larger homes, and buyers get more total space for the money. The median of $209,250 is approximately 7.0% below the ranch median, making them a value option for buyers who need more bedrooms and square footage.

Split-Level and Bi-Level: Underappreciated and Underpriced

Split-levels (median $250,000) and bi-levels (median $235,000) are among the fastest-selling styles in Topeka at 5 days on market — matching ranches despite being less common. Bi-levels actually carry the highest price per square foot of any major style at $200.00 per foot, which reflects both their efficient use of space and strong buyer demand. For buyers who are open to these layouts, they offer competitive value relative to the overall market.

Bungalows: Topeka's Entry-Level Option

Bungalow-style homes carry a median of just $92,000 — 59.1% below the overall market median and 59.1% below ranch homes. Most of these are older, smaller homes (typically 600–1,100 square feet, built between 1900 and 1960) in Topeka's inner neighborhoods. They serve an important market function: genuine affordability for first-time buyers and investors. They still move relatively quickly at 8 days on market, and the median list-to-sale ratio holds at 100%, meaning even bargain-priced homes are selling at asking.

Raised Ranch: Small Sample, Strong Numbers

With only 49 sales, the raised ranch category is a smaller slice of the market, but the numbers are noteworthy. The median of $290,750 is the highest of any style — about 29.2% above the overall market median — and these homes sell in just 5 days. The per-foot value at $187.35 reflects the popularity of this layout for newer construction in suburban and rural areas of Shawnee County. Small sample size, but consistent strong performance.

What This Means for You: Topeka Buyer and Seller Guidance

If You're Selling a Home in Topeka or Shawnee County

Price it right from day one. The data is unambiguous: the median home in Topeka sells in 6 days at 100% of asking price. That happens because correctly priced homes get immediate attention. The 25.1% of homes that required price reductions largely share one characteristic — they entered the market priced above what buyers were willing to pay. A price correction usually costs more time and money than pricing accurately from the start.

Prepare for a concession conversation. About 30.7% of sellers contributed to buyer closing costs. This does not mean you have to, but you should be prepared for the ask, particularly if your buyer is using FHA or VA financing. A $5,000 concession can be the difference between a clean close and a deal that falls apart over financing logistics.

Condition matters, especially in the middle market. In a market where buyers have options and are moving fast, homes that show poorly or have deferred maintenance end up in the slower-moving, price-reduction category. The homes that sell in the first week are almost always the ones that look good, smell clean, and have no obvious issues. That preparation pays off in both speed and final price.

If You're Buying a Home in Topeka or Shawnee County

Get pre-approved before you start looking. This is not optional in a market where the median home sells in 6 days. By the time you finish touring a home, schedule a second showing, and think it over for a few days, it is probably already under contract. Pre-approval gives you the ability to write an offer on the spot when you find the right house.

Do not expect to lowball your way to a deal. The median list-to-sale ratio is 100%. Most sellers are getting asking price. Writing offers 10-15% below list is a strategy for losing houses, not winning them. Come in at or near asking on well-priced homes, and save your negotiating energy for the homes that have been sitting or have had price reductions — those are where you actually have leverage.

Consider the styles that get overlooked. Bi-level and split-level homes sell just as fast as ranches and carry strong per-foot values, but they attract fewer buyers who have never lived in one. If you are open to a non-traditional layout, you may face less competition than you would on a ranch or two-story in the same price range.

Looking Ahead: Is Topeka's Market Sustainable?

The short answer is yes. A 3.79% annual median appreciation rate is the kind of growth that reflects real economic demand rather than speculation. Topeka has an employment base anchored by state government, healthcare, education, and manufacturing — sectors that tend to provide consistent, stable housing demand. The flat sales volume year-over-year tells us this is a supply-constrained market, not one that is artificially inflated by easy money.

Shawnee County's combination of urban amenities, rural acreage options, and relative affordability compared to larger metros positions it well for continued interest from regional buyers and, increasingly, remote workers who can live anywhere and are choosing markets like Topeka for quality of life and cost of living. None of this guarantees future appreciation, but the fundamentals that support it are real.