City of Topeka | Economic Development

2006 Quick Reference Business Profile

Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, the capital of Kansas, is the regional center for a seven-county area serving over 343,000 people in northeast Kansas. Topeka has a diverse business community ranging from federal and state government to distribution centers and manufacturing facilities, complimented by a full range of retail and service businesses. Payless ShoeSource, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Security Benefit Group, Western Resources, and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas are all headquartered in Topeka.

Washburn University, located in the center of the city, offers undergraduate degrees in more than 45 different areas and a wide variety of professional graduate programs including a law school. Washburn, which serves a student population of over 7,300, has new campus living centers and lifestyle amenities that have resulted in more traditional students finding Washburn a perfect fit for their college years.

Topeka is also the home of the Kaw Area Technical School which offers a wide variety of secondary, post-secondary and customized business training programs. In addition, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, and Emporia State University are within an hour's drive bringing the total number of college students in the immediate area to more than 63,000.

Topeka and Shawnee County are served by five public school districts that offer a wide variety of quality educational programs to more than 26,000 students. Additionally, a number of private schools provide educational alternatives to both elementary and secondary students.

As a city of 123,000, Topeka offers a quality of life that includes a zoo, parks, golf courses, community theatre, concerts and shows, festivals, sporting events, and myriad social services. Attractions include Heartland Park Topeka, the Brown vs. Board National Historic Site, the State Capitol complex and Governor’s Mansion, the Kansas History Center, the Great Overland Station and a variety of museums.

The community boasts two outstanding hospitals, five specialized medical facilities, and a wide variety of specialized health services that make it a major regional medical center for the state.

The newly remodeled Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library designed by noted architect Michael Graves is considered one of the most modern libraries in the country.

Shawnee County, Kansas
Topeka is also the county seat of Shawnee County, Kansas which has a population of more than 171,000 and an area of 550 square miles. In addition to Topeka, Shawnee County includes three small incorporated towns and a variety of recreational facilities, lakes, golf courses and both suburban and “rural” housing options.

Shawnee County is the central county of the Topeka Metropolitan Statistical Area, an area that includes the four surrounding counties of Jackson, Jefferson, Osage and Wabaunsee Counties. Collectively, the five counties of “Metro Topeka” include a population of more than 227,000 people.

Transportation/Location
Topeka’s transportation needs are served by a comprehensive transportation network.

Highways:

Interstate Highway 70 / 470
Interstate Highway 35 / 335 (Kansas Turnpike)
U. S. Highway 24
U. S. Highway 40
U. S. Highway 75
Kansas Highway 4

Railroads:

Burlington Northern Santa Fe (freight)
Union Pacific (freight)
AMTRAK Passenger Rail Service (Southwest Chief – Chicago to Los Angeles)

Air Services:

Forbes Field Airport (FOE) South Topeka. Longest Rnwy: 13/31 = 12,800’ x 200’. (FBOs, maintenance, hangar rental, limited scheduled air service)
Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP) Northeast Topeka. Longest Rnwy: 13/31 = 5,100’ x 150’. (FBO, maintenance, hangar rentals)
Kansas City International (MCI), a 73 mile Interstate drive east of Topeka, is
served by 13 major commercial airlines and their connection partners. They
offer over 200 daily departures with nonstop jet service to 43 destinations.

Bus Lines:

Greyhound Lines (Intercity)
Topeka Transit (Intracity)

Motor Freight:

More than 300 companies serve the Topeka/Kansas City region. Topeka has
a wide variety of regional/national carriers with local terminals.

Topeka is located in the center of the country approximately equidistant between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and between Mexico and Canada.