Section Image

Central Highland Park

Central Highland Park

Neighborhood in Topeka, Kansas

Shawnee County 66605, 66607

$94,293 Average Value
$75 Average Price per Sq Ft
4 Homes For Sale

A neighborhood of convenience and modest homes

In East Topeka, about 3 miles from downtown, Central Highland Park is a predominantly residential neighborhood of modest single-family homes with access to parks and city amenities. “It’s a very affordable, working-class neighborhood,” says Janet Carter, broker of Carter Realty and a native Topekan. “That’s why people move here. They like the convenience to all the stores and restaurants on California Avenue and the access to Lake Shawnee.” While Lake Shawnee, one of the city’s most prominent outdoor spots, is just a few miles away, the neighborhood also has a community center for outdoor and indoor recreation, along with free meals for kids.

Retailers and Mexican restaurants on California Avenue

Locals head to Southeast California Avenue to shop and dine out. The main road has a Walmart and Dillons right next to each other for getting groceries and other essentials. Southeast California is also a popular spot for Mexican food, with restaurants such as Mexicali, Tacos El Mexicano and the Tacos El Guitarron food truck typically in the Hernandez Muffler Shop parking lot. There’s also Soul Fire Food, known for its barbecue platters, and many fast food restaurants.

Recreation at Hillcrest Community Center and Lake Shawnee

Central Highland Park is home to the Hillcrest Community Center. The community pool and playground serve as outdoor centerpieces. Indoors, basketball, racquetball and futsal, a five-on-five version of soccer, is played on courts built during a 2020 renovation by Shawnee County Parks & Recreation. The community center also has a game room with table tennis and billiards, a fitness center and a computer lab. Every Monday through Thursday, Silverbackks, a local non-profit, serves dinner to kids 18 and under at the community center. Lake Shawnee, one of Topeka’s premier outdoor destinations, is about 3 miles away, where people from all over the region go to fish, hike miles of trails and stroll through Ted Ensley Gardens.

Two elementary school options

The northern half of the neighborhood is served by Williams Science & Fine Arts Magnet School, an elementary school with a C grade from Niche. The southern half is zoned to Highland Park Central Elementary School, which also earns a C grade. Students from both elementary schools go on to C-graded Eisenhower Middle School and C-plus-graded Highland Park High School.

Houses from the early and mid-1900s

The neighborhood’s grid-pattern residential streets are about 1 to 1.5 miles long. They’re lined with a mix of houses from the first half of the 20th century. Homebuyers can find bungalows and cottages from the early 1900s, along with ranch-style and split-level houses from the mid-1900s. It’s common for these homes to have original interiors. Some need renovations with prices ranging from $15,000 to $75,000. Homes with modern upgrades sell for around $80,000 to $200,000. Most homes in Central Highland Park are situated on leafy quarter-acre lots and have detached garages accessible from back alleyways.

Easy access to buses, downtown and I-70

Topeka Metro operates bus routes along Southeast California Avenue and Southeast Indiana Avenue. It’s about a 3-mile drive north along a few main roads to downtown Topeka. Residents also have two access points to Interstate 70 on the neighborhood’s north side. The interstate runs west throughout Kansas and about 60 miles east to Kansas City. Topeka Regional Airport is about 7 miles south. However, there are no commercial flights. Instead, people drive 70 miles to fly out of Kansas International Airport.

Nicolas Stuart
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
Zach Manwell
Photography Contributed By
Zach Manwell
Bob Yukich
Video By
Bob Yukich

Agents Specializing in this Area

See All Agents

Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Niki Barber, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Parks in this Area

Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Central Highland Park US
Homicide 6 4
Sexual Assault 6 4
Assault with Weapon 6 4
Robbery 5 4
Burglary 5 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 5 4
Larceny 4 4
Crime Score 5 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$67,600
Median Single Family Price
$71,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$75
Number of Homes for Sale
4
Last 12 months Home Sales
69
Months of Supply
0.70
Median List Price
$79,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
0%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
2%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
2,094
Median Year Built
1950
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,083
Significantly below the national average
1,935
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,769
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
9,147

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Niki Barber, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
5,550
Median Age
35
Population Density
6 ppl/acre
Population under 18
29.4%
Above the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
14%
Below the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$43,937
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$51,148

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
83.9%
College Graduates
6.7%
Significantly below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
1.9%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
65.1%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
37''
Average Winter Low Temperature
21°F
Average Summer High Temperature
90°F
Annual Snowfall
12''

Area Factors

Somewhat Bikeable

Bike Score®

41 / 100

Somewhat Walkable

Walk Score®

51 / 100

Minimal Transit

Transit Score®

24 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Nearby Neighborhoods

Reviews

Are you familiar with the Central Highland Park neighborhood? to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Central Highland Park
Niki Barber
Countrywide Realty, Inc.
Section Image