Topeka, KS vs Olathe, KS
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Olathe, KS and Topeka, KS spend within 2.1% of each other per resident — $14,735 versus $14,435 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Topeka, KS edges Olathe, KS on the Fiscal Health Score by 3 points — 87/100 (grade A) to 84/100 (grade A). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
Olathe, KS reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Topeka, KS carries $30 per resident. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Topeka, KS leads with highways and roads at $353 per resident, while Olathe, KS leads with health at $497.
They also fund themselves differently: charges and fees is the largest single revenue source in Topeka, KS at 19% of total revenue, whereas Olathe, KS relies most on other revenue at 12%.
Summary
Olathe spends 2.0% more per capita than Topeka ($300/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 | $796 |
| Sales Tax | $182 | $992 |
| Income Tax | $0 | $1,135 |
| Intergovernmental | $3,030 | $2,471 |
| Charges & Fees | $6,883 | $1,283 |
| Other | $4,080 | $2,971 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $190 | $281 |
| Highways & Roads | $353 | $141 |
| Education | $0 | $35 |
| Public Welfare | $3,253 | $1,206 |
| Health | $0 | $497 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $470 |
| Parks & Recreation | $55 | $456 |
| Housing | $3,032 | $2,111 |
| Utilities | $3,548 | $4,550 |
| Interest on Debt | $663 | $0 |
| Other | $3,342 | $4,988 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.