Neighborhood in Topeka, Kansas
Shawnee County 66606
Developed in the early 1900s, Kenwood is one of Topeka’s oldest neighborhoods, located 1.5 miles northwest of downtown. This primarily residential community is compact, with original century-old houses mingled with mature trees. One redbrick street runs through Kenwood, blending into the historic Potwin neighborhood to the west, known for its grand homes and vibrant Halloween and Christmas celebrations.
Single-family homes, built between 1907 and the 1930s, line the tree-canopied streets. Two-to-four-bedroom bungalows and American Foursquares with wide front porches are among the most common housing styles, often enabling neighborly interactions. “The neighbors are great. People walk their dogs around and actually sit on their porch and talk to each other,'' says Lexie Kincaid, a Kenwood resident and owner of her home business, Strawberry Shapes + Cakes. "It’s just a friendly part of Topeka.” Homes on lots of about an eighth of an acre generally range from 1,000 to 1,700 square feet, selling for $125,000 to $185,000. A few larger homes with 2,000 to 3,000 square feet of living space sell for around $200,000 to $275,000. While not as common, some Tudor and Colonial styles can be found scattered around the neighborhood. Most homes do not have driveways in the front, but typically have access to a small parking space and a detached garage from a back alleyway.
Southwest Sixth Avenue is less than a half-mile from the neighborhood’s southside, offering all of Kenwood’s nearest shopping and dining options. Locals can shop for everyday essentials at Walmart Neighborhood Market and Dollar Tree. Taco Al’s has been a popular Mexican restaurant in the community since 1963. Meanwhile, G’s Frozen Custard is a city-wide dessert staple, named the best ice cream shop from 2016 to 2023 in Topeka’s Community Choice Awards. “I walk to G’s all the time with my family,” says Kincaid. “It’s usually busy if it's nice and sunny outside, and the fire department goes there almost every night to get ice cream. The kids get really excited. They can go inside the fire trucks and honk the horn. It’s really special.”
Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site takes visitors back in time as they walk through a village of 19th-century buildings on the Oregon Trail. They can explore a Victorian mansion, grab a drink from the vintage soda fountain at Potwin Drug Store and walk through the 2.5-acre botanical garden, which hosts the annual Tulips at Twilight event every April when the flowers are in bloom. “We walk to the festival every year because it’s impossible to park,” says Kincaid. “It’s incredibly popular. They plant hundreds of tulips and set up lights around the flowers, in the butterfly exhibit and these cute little fairy houses.”
Locals enjoy the holiday traditions in the neighboring, historic Potwin community. “It’s basically a requirement that you have to have Christmas lights on your house,” says Kincaid. “You tune into the radio station and drive through the Potwin area, and it is just the coolest thing I have ever seen in my whole life. I know people who come from Missouri just to see the Christmas lights.” Potwin also goes all out in October, according to Kincaid, who says, “Halloween is just as important as Christmas. It’s where everyone goes trick-or-treating. The houses get decked out, and there’s one person on the corner who does a haunted house every year.”
Meadows Elementary, which earns a C-plus grade from Niche, is within walking distance of many homes on the east side, while also no more than a 0.70-mile drive from the rest of Kenwood. Students go on to Robinson Middle School, which also receives a C-plus grade. They’ll head on to Topeka High School, which receives a B grade and is ranked as the state's fourth most diverse high school. Built in 1931, Topeka High is well known for its elaborate Gothic-style architecture with a 165-foot bell tower inspired by Henry VIII’s Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace.
There are no public transportation options directly in Kenwood. However, Topeka Metro provides bus services along nearby SW 6th Avenue. Whether driving or taking the bus, it’s about a 1.5-mile commute to downtown. That’s where the closest access to Interstate 70 is located, which runs west through Kansas and about 60 miles east to Kansas City.
Kylie Edington
RE/MAX EK Real Estate
(785) 329-0494
254 Total Sales
2 in Kenwood
$115K - $140K Price Range
Tracy O'Brien
KW One Legacy Partners, LLC
(785) 329-0371
240 Total Sales
1 in Kenwood
$155,000 Price
Pepe Miranda
Genesis, LLC, Realtors
(785) 329-1197
435 Total Sales
2 in Kenwood
$70K - $120K Price Range
Patrick Dixon
Countrywide Realty, Inc.
(785) 380-2409
164 Total Sales
1 in Kenwood
$140,000 Price
Marshall Barber
Valley, Inc.
(785) 329-0041
62 Total Sales
3 in Kenwood
$13,500 Price Range
Luke L. Thompson
COLDWELL BANKER AMERICAN HOME
(785) 329-9721
280 Total Sales
1 in Kenwood
$155,000 Price
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Kenwood | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 6 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 6 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 6 | 4 |
| Robbery | 5 | 4 |
| Burglary | 4 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
| Larceny | 3 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 4 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
On average, homes in Kenwood, Topeka sell after 13 days on the market compared to the national average of 48 days. The average sale price for homes in Kenwood, Topeka over the last 12 months is $129,200, down 21% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Bike Score®
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Leafy neighborhood with century-old, single-family homes
A preserved neighborhood dating back to the 1800s
A neighborhood of century-old homes shaded by mature trees
A historic neighborhood near downtown that honors one of Topeka's founders
A leafy, urban community with century-old bungalows
