Topeka, KS vs Lawrence, KS
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Lawrence, KS outspends Topeka, KS by a wide margin per resident — $50,571 versus $14,435, a 250% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Topeka, KS holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 87/100 (grade A) against 40/100 (grade D) for Lawrence, KS — a 47-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Topeka, KS carries the lighter load at $30 per resident versus $1,487 for Lawrence, KS. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Topeka, KS leads with highways and roads at $353 per resident, while Lawrence, KS leads with parks and recreation at $1,334.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Topeka, KS at 19% of total revenue, whereas Lawrence, KS relies most on other revenue at 13%.
Summary
Lawrence spends 71.5% more per capita than Topeka ($36,136/person difference). Topeka, KS has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 87/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $823 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $182 | $452 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,646 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,030 | $610 |
| Charges & Fees | $6,883 | $2,976 |
| Other | $4,080 | $5,396 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $190 | $701 |
| Highways & Roads | $353 | $152 |
| Education | $0 | $50 |
| Public Welfare | $3,253 | $1,409 |
| Health | $0 | $528 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $201 |
| Parks & Recreation | $55 | $1,334 |
| Housing | $3,032 | $2,611 |
| Utilities | $3,548 | $3,966 |
| Interest on Debt | $663 | $301 |
| General Admin | $0 | $32,300 |
| Other | $3,342 | $7,016 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.