City comparison
Lawrence, KS is about 20 miles (40 km) from Topeka, KS in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Lawrence, KS to Topeka, KS takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Topeka has a population of 126,431, vs 95,103 in Lawrence — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Topeka covers about 62 sq mi vs 35 sq mi for Lawrence.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Lawrence | Topeka | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,038/mo | $926/mo | 12.1% higher in Lawrence |
| Median home value | $247,300 | $124,700 | 98.3% higher in Lawrence |
| Median household income | $59,834 | $54,052 | 10.7% higher in Lawrence |
| Groceries index | 94.2 | 94.2 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 89.5 | 89.2 | ≈ equal (Lawrence slightly higher) |
| Transportation index | 94.1 | 94.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.3 | 94.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lawrence, you'd need $96,549 in Topeka to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Topeka, KS is about 3.5% cheaper overall than Lawrence, KS, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 10% higher in Lawrence than in Topeka. If you earn $80,000 in Lawrence, you'd need about $77,239 in Topeka to keep the same standard of living.