City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Centralia, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Centralia - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

125
Residents
$73,750
Median income
$230,000
Median home
$1,077
Median rent (state)

Centralia - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Centralia lands in the 55th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

55th
percentile, household income
51st
percentile, home value
26th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Centralia, IA

Centralia is a small town in Iowa, home to 125 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Centralia households earn a median of $73,750 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 15.2%. Typical homes in Centralia are valued around $230,000, and the median resident age is 37.4 years. Educational attainment runs 20.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 84.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,077 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 63.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

125 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$73,750 /yr

Poverty 15.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Centralia compare to other US cities?

Here's how Centralia stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 55% higher than other cities
Home value 51% pricier than other cities
Median rent 26% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Centralia's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Iowa, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

55thIncome percentile

55th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Centralia's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$230,000 49th percentile more affordable than 49% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Centralia $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Centralia, IA Centralia, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Centralia, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Centralia, IA median $73,750/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Centralia, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Centralia, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 84.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
125
Median Income
$73,750
Median Home Value
$230,000
Median Age
37.4
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Labor force participation
84.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.3%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
114 residents115 residents116 residents117 residents118 residents 202020212022202320242025 116 residents 116 residents ▲ +0.0%
Centralia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
88.7%
Carpool
7.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
1.4%
Other
2.9%

Based on 71 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Centralia sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,077/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
63.6 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Center Junction
125 people
Morrison
125 people
Rock Falls
125 people
Swaledale
125 people
Whitten
125 people
Delaware
126 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Centralia's 125 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kobuk, AK
125 people
Port Graham, AK
125 people
Primrose, AK
125 people
Top-of-the-World, AZ
125 people
Payneway, AR
125 people
Ritchie, IL
125 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Centralia's $73,750 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ranburne, AL
$73,750 median income
Stewartville, AL
$73,750 median income
Salamatof, AK
$73,750 median income
Higden, AR
$73,750 median income
Traskwood, AR
$73,750 median income
Iliff, CO
$73,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Centralia, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Centralia, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 100.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 100.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Centralia compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Centralia (this city) 125 $73,750
Center Junction 125 $32,679
Morrison 125 $88,750
Rock Falls 125 $66,875
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Centralia, IA?

What is the population of Centralia, IA? +

Centralia, IA counts 125 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Centralia, IA? +

Centralia households earn a median of $73,750 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Centralia? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Centralia; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Centralia, IA? +

The median home value in Centralia is $230,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.