City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

La Center, KY

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

752
Residents
$53,056
Median income
$88,600
Median home
$1,072
Median rent (state)

La Center - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, La Center lands in the 24th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

24th
percentile, household income
6th
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: La Center, KY

Kentucky's La Center is a small town, with 752 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in La Center brings in $53,056 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.9%. La Center's housing stock carries a median value of $88,600, and the median resident age is 44.3 years. 18.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 45.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,072 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Kentucky's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 39.6 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

752 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$53,056 /yr

Poverty 20.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does La Center compare to other US cities?

Where La Center sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 24% higher than other cities
Home value 6% 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 La Center'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.

24thIncome percentile

24th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How La Center's home value compares nationally

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

$88,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 94% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. La Center $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 - La Center, KY La Center, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not La Center, 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 La Center, KY median $53,056/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%
La Center, 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 La Center, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.0%

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

Population
752
Median Income
$53,056
Median Home Value
$88,600
Median Age
44.3
Poverty Rate
20.9%
Labor force participation
45.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.5%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
855 residents860 residents865 residents870 residents875 residents 202020212022202320242025 871 residents 858 residents ▼ -1.5%
La Center's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.5%
Carpool
4.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
11.4%
Work from Home
3.7%
Other
1.0%

Based on 273 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 La Center sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,072/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
39.6 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Garrison
748 people
Spring Valley
756 people
Mortons Gap
746 people
Bardwell
744 people
Inez
760 people
Crab Orchard
762 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to La Center's 752 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Munds Park, AZ
752 people
Tumbling Shoals, AR
752 people
Heritage Bay, FL
752 people
Shellsburg, IA
752 people
Upper Marlboro, MD
752 people
Edgartown, MA
752 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to La Center's $53,056 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Addison, MI
$53,056 median income
Browns Valley, MN
$53,056 median income
Isle, MN
$53,056 median income
New Franklin, MO
$53,056 median income
East Tawakoni, TX
$53,056 median income
Jewett, TX
$53,056 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - La Center, 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 La Center, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.6% 8.2% 8.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 83.6% Black or African American 8.2% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 8.1% 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 La Center 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
La Center (this city) 752 $53,056
Garrison 748 $36,765
Spring Valley 756 $156,250
Mortons Gap 746 $38,750
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about La Center, KY?

What is the population of La Center, KY? +

The population of La Center, KY stands at 752 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in La Center, KY? +

In La Center, the typical household earns $53,056 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in La Center? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for La Center; 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.

What is the median home value in La Center, KY? +

The median home value in La Center is $88,600, 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.