City · Alabama
Centre, Alabama
Centre, city, in Cherokee County, Alabama. Centre had 3,912 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 8.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,587 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,700 (±16). GEOID 0113648.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,912
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,587 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,700 ±16
Median household income
$44,664
±$6,107 (90% margin)
Alabama: $63,999
Median home value
$158,400
±$16,661 (90% margin)
Alabama: $209,900
Median gross rent
$594
±$87 (90% margin)
Alabama: $1,007
Where is Centre and what county is it in?
Centre is a city in Cherokee County, Alabama. It covers 11.7 square miles of land, 307 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Centre, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,912 people lived in Centre on July 1, 2025, up 8.8% since 2020, faster than Alabama (+3.3%). The 2020 Census counted 3,587 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,700 (±16).
| Measure | Centre | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,700 ±16 | 25,443 | +175 |
| Households | 1,715 ±270 | 10,192 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.01 ±0.31 | 2.47 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,049 ±281 | 14,702 | no clear change |
Centre's population since 2000
From 3,216 in 2000 to 3,912 in 2025: up 21.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Centre as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Centre?
The median resident of Centre is 59.3 years old; 10.4% are under 18 and 38.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 7.5%.
| Measure | Centre | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.3 ±4.1 | 47.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 10.4% ±4.6 pts | 18.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 38.0% ±7.2 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Male | 43.4% ±5.1 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 1.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.4% ±2.9 pts | 90.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.5% ±1.5 pts | 3.8% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±2.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.9% ±2.4 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 31.5% ±6.2 pts | 21.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.5% ±3.8 pts | 7.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 68.3% ±8.4 pts | 82.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 13.3% ±4.7 pts | 16.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.5% ±3.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.8% ±10.1 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 9.8% ±10.3 pts | 3.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Centre earn?
Half of Centre's 1,715 households earn less than $44,664 a year (±$6,107), against $53,863 in Cherokee County and $63,999 in Alabama. In 2015-2019 it was $44,629 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Centre | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,664 ±$6,107 | $53,863 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $72,802 ±$17,876 | $76,789 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,218 ±$8,298 | $32,884 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 21.1% ±9.2 pts | 14.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.2% ±16.2 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.4% ±7.6 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±3.5 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.8% ±6.4 pts | 82.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Centre?
Owners occupy 70.3% of Centre's occupied homes and renters 29.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,400 by its owner (±$16,661). The median renter pays $594 a month including utilities, and 37.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Centre | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $158,400 ±$16,661 | $179,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $594 ±$87 | $762 | −$152 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.5% ±18.5 pts | 37.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,199 ±$101 | $1,231 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.3% ±6.6 pts | 81.1% | +16.8 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.7% ±6.6 pts | 18.9% | – |
| Housing units | 2,049 ±281 | 14,702 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.0 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.4% ±6.0 pts | 70.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.7% ±2.0 pts | 23.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.3% ±2.7 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.5% ±2.5 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.6% ±2.3 pts | 2.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Centre building?
Builders took permits for 14 new housing units in Centre in 2025 (14 in single-family houses), 3.6 per 1,000 residents against 3.7 across Alabama.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Centre work and get to work?
76.0% of Centre's workers drive alone and 15.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.8 minutes.
| Measure | Centre | Cherokee County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 35.4% ±7.0 pts | 49.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% ±6.9 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.0% ±10.8 pts | 85.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.8% ±5.9 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.8% ±9.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.8 min ±5.2 | 30.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Centre?
1 census tract lies mostly in Centre, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9560Cherokee County | 4,085 | $47,833 |
| Tract 9559Cherokee County | 4,442 | $74,792 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Centre) · Census block assignment files
How does Centre compare with other places in Alabama?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Centre is the 5,556th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 127th-most populous of 463 in Alabama.
Centre ranks 226th of 305 places in Alabama with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 127th | 463 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 46th | 257 |
| Residents per square mile | 193rd | 311 |
| Median household income | 226th | 305 |
| Per capita income | 98th | 311 |
| Median home value | 173rd | 304 |
| Median gross rent | 244th | 274 |
| Poverty rate | 95th | 258 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 230th | 295 |
| Median age | 3rd | 309 |
| Owner-occupied share | 155th | 310 |
| Work from home | 27th | 138 |
| Travel time to work | 210th | 310 |
Centre's figures with every place in Alabama (CSV)
Every place in Alabama, sortable · Compare Centre with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Centre?
20 of the 57 figures for Centre on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Centre are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Centre.