Emporia is in east-central Kansas. It is about southwest of Kansas City, southwest of Topeka, and northeast of Wichita. It is on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills. The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of . Of that, is land and is water. The Neosho River goes along the northern part of the city. The Cottonwood River, one of its tributaries, goes along the city's southern edge and of two large city parks, Peter Pan and Soden's Grove.