Topeka Apartments and Rentals

Topeka, the capital of Kansas, is located in the northeast of the state, approximately 60 miles from Kansas City, Missouri. It earned a place on Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's Best Cities list in 2010 largely because of the robustness it displayed during the recession of the late 2000s. Its unemployment rate remained steady throughout and a number of Topeka companies expanded at a time when many were downsizing in other areas of the country. That isn't the first instance of Topeka breaking the mold, though. Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark civil rights case that led to the desegregation of public schools, was heard here in 1954.

In terms of size, locals say the city is small enough to retain a community feeling but large enough to still offer plenty of options for things to do. Those looking for Topeka apartments for rent will likely find the best of both worlds.

Topeka was founded in 1854 and incorporated in 1857. It went on to become the capital of the 34th state in the union, and its first mayor, Cyrus K. Holliday, is widely regarded as the father of the city. Holliday donated land for the construction of a new state capitol building and drafted the charter for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, which is known today as the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway.

Railroads had a central role in the city's development. The Union Pacific began operating in Topeka in 1866, and a number of others followed after that, including the Rock Island Railroad, Kansas Central, Missouri Pacific and the St. Joseph and Topeka Railroad.

The late 1800s also saw educational institutions spring up in the city - specifically, Lincoln College (known today as Washburn University) and the College of the Sisters of Bethany, a now-defunct women's institution that came to be known as the "Wellesley of the West."

The region built its economic structure on agriculture, meat-packing and the railroad up until the onset of World War II, which caused it to change course and ushered in an age of manufacturing and military services. It was around this time that Forbes Air Force Base was established (it closed in 1974) and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company opened a Topeka plant that's still in existence today.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Topeka was home to 127,473 people in 2010.

Washburn University is the most well-known institute of further education in Topeka, and is also one of the city's largest employers. It offers programs to more than 7,300 students through the College of Arts and Sciences and the schools of Applied Studies, Business, Law and Nursing. The city is also home to the Baker University School of Nursing, Friends University and the Washburn Institute of Technology.

Nearly one-quarter of Topeka's workforce is employed by the government, which explains why the city weathered the recession so well. The state of Kansas employs more than 8,000 Topekans, who enjoy health, dental and prescription coverage and pensions through the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, and the city, county and federal governments also employ a large number of workers. Other large employers include Stormont-Vail HealthCare, the Topeka Unified School District and the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Topeka's cost of living is low compared to the U.S. average - it registered an 83.1 on City-Data.com's March 2012 cost of living index, while the national average is 100. The median gross rent for apartments in Topeka is $624.

As a nod to the groundbreaking legislation that led to the desegregation of public schools in 1954, Topeka's Monroe Elementary School houses the Brown v. Board National Historic Site & Museum, which aims to convey the part the case played in the Civil Rights Movement. Other historical must-sees include the Kansas History Museum, the Old Prairie Town at Historic Ward-Meade Park and the Kansas State Capitol. For kids, the Kansas Children's Discovery Center is a great port of call, along with the Topeka Zoo at Gage Park.

If you are looking for an apartment for rent or a house rental in Topeka, Kan., search for rental properties at Rent.com®.