City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

Central City, KY

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

5,736
Residents
$49,025
Median income
$140,700
Median home
$866
Median rent (state)

Central City - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Central City places in the 18th percentile for household income and the 61st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

18th
percentile, household income
24th
percentile, home value
1st
percentile, median rent
61st
percentile, safety
📝 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: Central City, KY

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,736 residents in Central City, a small town within Kentucky. Central City households earn a median of $49,025 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.0%. Typical homes in Central City are valued around $140,700, and the median resident age is 36.0 years. Educational attainment runs 9.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 49.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 5 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Central City reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1067.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Kentucky run below the national norm: the state registers 90.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $866 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Kentucky, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 53.2 out of 100 (Low).

Population

5,736 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$49,025 /yr

Poverty 20.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does Central City compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 18% higher than other cities
Home value 24% pricier than other cities
Median rent 1% pricier than other cities
Safety 61% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Kentucky alone, Central City ranks #119 of 181 Kentucky cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Central City'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 Kentucky, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

18thIncome percentile
61stSafety percentile

18th percentile nationally for median household income · 61st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Central City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Central City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 56 Avg. percentile National median
Central City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Central City's home value compares nationally

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

$140,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 76% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $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. Central City $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 - Central City, KY Central City, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Central City, KY-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 Central City, KY median $49,025/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%
Central City, KY'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 Central City, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 9.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.8%

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

Population
5,736
Median Income
$49,025
Median Home Value
$140,700
Median Age
36.0
Poverty Rate
20.0%
Labor force participation
49.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
9.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1067.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
86.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
981.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,200 residents5,400 residents5,600 residents5,800 residents6,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,818 residents 5,793 residents ▼ -0.4%
Central City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 5
2021 6
2022 7
2023 5
2024 5

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
93.0%
Carpool
2.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
2.5%

Based on 2,137 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kentucky 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 Kentucky state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Central City sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$866/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
53.2 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Monticello
5,741 people
Dayton
5,703 people
Bellevue
5,598 people
Fort Wright
5,882 people
Walton
5,513 people
Wilmore
6,031 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Central City's 5,736 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bright, IN
5,735 people
Salisbury, MA
5,735 people
Webster, NY
5,734 people
Finley, WA
5,734 people
Tontitown, AR
5,739 people
Yabucoa zona urbana, PR
5,740 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Central City's $49,025 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pirtleville, AZ
$49,022 median income
La Harpe, IL
$49,028 median income
Lewistown, IL
$49,022 median income
Decatur, NE
$49,028 median income
Rossmoyne, OH
$49,028 median income
Apache, OK
$49,022 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Central City, KY 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 Central City, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.1% White 89.0% Black or African American 4.1% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 5.3% 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 Central City compares to nearby Kentucky cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Central City (this city) 5,736 $49,025
Monticello 5,741 $37,733
Dayton 5,703 $62,500
Bellevue 5,598 $67,143
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Central City, KY?

What is the population of Central City, KY? +

5,736 people live in Central City, KY according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Central City, KY? +

Central City households earn a median of $49,025 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Central City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Central City; the closest available measure is the Kentucky state average, a cost of living index of 90.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kentucky vary by metro area.

Is Central City, KY safe? +

Central City has a total crime rate of 1067.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Central City, KY? +

The median home value in Central City is $140,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.