Most of Topeka is in Shawnee County, where a full-time job needs to pay at least $27.85 an hour before taxes to take home four times the typical studio rent.
Across the 24 ZIP codes in Topeka with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $720 to $1,190 a month. At the middle rent, $890, a full-time job would need to pay $27.68 an hour before taxes.
What the standard would be at each ZIP code's own studio rent. The calculator and the official standard use the county figure.
| ZIP | County | Studio rent | Pay needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 66601 | Shawnee County | $890/mo | $27.68/hr |
| 66603 | Shawnee County | $720/mo | $22.00/hr |
| 66604 | Shawnee County | $980/mo | $30.69/hr |
| 66605 | Shawnee County | $810/mo | $25.01/hr |
| 66606 | Shawnee County | $890/mo | $27.68/hr |
| 66607 | Shawnee County | $740/mo | $22.67/hr |
| 66608 | Shawnee County | $780/mo | $24.00/hr |
| 66609 | Shawnee County | $970/mo | $30.36/hr |
| 66610 | Shawnee County | $1,070/mo | $33.70/hr |
| 66611 | Shawnee County | $840/mo | $26.01/hr |
| 66612 | Shawnee County | $720/mo | $22.00/hr |
| 66614 | Shawnee County | $960/mo | $30.02/hr |
| 66615 | Shawnee County | $1,110/mo | $35.11/hr |
| 66616 | Shawnee County | $900/mo | $28.02/hr |
| 66617 | Shawnee County | $1,000/mo | $31.36/hr |
| 66618 | Shawnee County | $1,070/mo | $33.70/hr |
| 66619 | Shawnee County | $1,190/mo | $38.19/hr |
| 66620 | Shawnee County | $890/mo | $27.68/hr |
| 66621 | Shawnee County | $950/mo | $29.69/hr |
| 66622 | Shawnee County | $980/mo | $30.69/hr |
| 66647 | Shawnee County | $890/mo | $27.68/hr |
| 66667 | Shawnee County | $890/mo | $27.68/hr |
| 66675 | Shawnee County | $890/mo | $27.68/hr |
| 66683 | Shawnee County | $890/mo | $27.68/hr |
Under the Four Times Rent standard, a full-time job in Topeka needs to pay at least $27.85 an hour before taxes, about $57,928 a year. That is the figure for Shawnee County, where the typical studio rent is $895 a month.
Yes. Across the 24 ZIP codes in Topeka with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $720 to $1,190 a month. At the middle rent of $890, the pay needed would be $27.68 an hour.
The minimum wage in Shawnee County is $7.25 an hour. The Four Times Rent standard there is 3.8 times that.
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal and state income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent? · Method and data downloads