St. George UT vs Topeka KS — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026
Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)
St. George, UT
Utah · Population: 99,184
- Median HH Income$72,870
- Median Home Price$456,900
- Unemployment3.5%
- Bachelor's+34.1%
Topeka, KS
Kansas · Population: 126,103
- Median HH Income$55,902
- Median Home Price$193,522
- Unemployment4.9%
- Bachelor's+29.1%
Detailed Comparison
Demographics
Population
St. George
99,184
Topeka
126,103
Topeka +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
St. George
N/A
Topeka
N/A
Median Age
St. George
37.9
St. George +
Topeka
38.2
Foreign Born
St. George
7.4%
St. George +
Topeka
5.3%
White
St. George
85.0%
St. George +
Topeka
71.0%
Black
St. George
0.6%
Topeka
9.7%
Topeka +
Asian
St. George
1.2%
Topeka
1.8%
Topeka +
Hispanic
St. George
12.7%
Topeka
16.9%
Topeka +
Spanish at Home
St. George
N/A
Topeka
N/A
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 99,184 | 126,103 | Topeka + |
| Pop. Density / sq miLower = more space | N/A | N/A | - |
| Median Age | 37.9 | 38.2 | St. George + |
| Foreign Born | 7.4% | 5.3% | St. George + |
| White | 85.0% | 71.0% | St. George + |
| Black | 0.6% | 9.7% | Topeka + |
| Asian | 1.2% | 1.8% | Topeka + |
| Hispanic | 12.7% | 16.9% | Topeka + |
| Spanish at Home | N/A | N/A | - |
Economy
Median HH Income
St. George
$72,870
St. George +
Topeka
$55,902
Per Capita Income
St. George
$36,254
St. George +
Topeka
$33,290
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
St. George
$60,713
Topeka
$61,860
Topeka +
Unemployment Rate
St. George
3.5%
St. George +
Topeka
4.9%
Poverty Rate
St. George
11.3%
St. George +
Topeka
15.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
St. George
34.1%
St. George +
Topeka
29.1%
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median HH Income | $72,870 | $55,902 | St. George + |
| Per Capita Income | $36,254 | $33,290 | St. George + |
| Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)BEA MSA-level | $60,713 | $61,860 | Topeka + |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 4.9% | St. George + |
| Poverty Rate | 11.3% | 15.6% | St. George + |
| Bachelor's Degree+ | 34.1% | 29.1% | St. George + |
Housing
Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
St. George
$456,900
Topeka
$193,522
Topeka +
Homeownership Rate
St. George
68.2%
St. George +
Topeka
59.2%
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home ValueZillow ZHVI / Census ACS | $456,900 | $193,522 | Topeka + |
| Homeownership Rate | 68.2% | 59.2% | St. George + |
Safety
Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
St. George
245
St. George +
Topeka
449
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
St. George
1931
St. George +
Topeka
2174
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 245 | 449 | St. George + |
| Property Crime / 100KFBI CDE (state-level est.) | 1931 | 2174 | St. George + |
Health
Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
St. George
32.9%
St. George +
Topeka
39.7%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
St. George
10.6%
St. George +
Topeka
13.1%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
St. George
16.0%
St. George +
Topeka
16.8%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
St. George
10.9%
St. George +
Topeka
11.4%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
St. George
9.7%
St. George +
Topeka
14.5%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
St. George
7.9%
St. George +
Topeka
16.9%
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity RateCDC PLACES | 32.9% | 39.7% | St. George + |
| Diabetes RateCDC PLACES | 10.6% | 13.1% | St. George + |
| Poor Mental HealthCDC PLACES — 14+ days/month | 16.0% | 16.8% | St. George + |
| No Health InsuranceCDC PLACES | 10.9% | 11.4% | St. George + |
| Binge DrinkingCDC PLACES | 9.7% | 14.5% | St. George + |
| Current SmokersCDC PLACES | 7.9% | 16.9% | St. George + |
Climate
Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
St. George
63.9°F
Topeka
54.5°F
Topeka +
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
St. George
8.8 in
St. George +
Topeka
39.0 in
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Annual TempNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 63.9°F | 54.5°F | Topeka + |
| Annual PrecipitationNOAA 1991–2020 normal | 8.8 in | 39.0 in | St. George + |
Air Quality
PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
St. George
7.0 µg/m³
St. George +
Topeka
8.2 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
St. George
75.0%
Topeka
75.0%
Tie
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 Annual AvgEPA AQS (state-level est.) | 7.0 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | St. George + |
| Good Air DaysAQI ≤ 50 | 75.0% | 75.0% | Tie |
Commute
Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
St. George
17.9 min
St. George +
Topeka
18.3 min
| Metric | St. George, UT | Topeka, KS | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Commute TimeCensus ACS | 17.9 min | 18.3 min | St. George + |
Which City is Right for You?
St. George leads in median household income at $72,870, while topeka offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $193,522. On public safety, St. George is safer with a violent crime rate of 245 per 100,000 residents, compared to 449 in Topeka. St. George has a lower unemployment rate at 3.5%, and St. George has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.0 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, St. George scores better with a lower obesity rate of 32.9%.
Compare More Cities
New York, NY vs St. George, UTLos Angeles, CA vs St. George, UTChicago, IL vs St. George, UTHouston, TX vs St. George, UTPhoenix, AZ vs St. George, UTPhiladelphia, PA vs St. George, UT