City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Centralia, MO

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.

4,615
Residents
$51,868
Median income
$165,600
Median home
$1,160
Median rent (state)

Centralia - the verdict

Nationally, Centralia sits in the 22nd percentile for household income and the 60th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

22nd
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
60th
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: Centralia, MO

Missouri's Centralia is a small town, with 4,615 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Centralia households earn a median of $51,868 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.5%. Centralia's housing stock carries a median value of $165,600, and the median resident age is 45.4 years. 32.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 49.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Centralia reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1086.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Missouri at 90.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,160 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $219 across Missouri, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 85.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,615 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Missouri

Median Household Income

$51,868 /yr

Poverty 5.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

How does Centralia compare to other US cities?

Centralia measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 22% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities
Safety 60% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Missouri, Centralia ranks #85 of 234 Missouri cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Centralia against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Missouri only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Missouri-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Centralia toward the top of Missouri's cities

Among the 875 Missouri cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Centralia ranks #136 - the 84th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Centralia only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#448 of 842
47th percentile in Missouri
Median Gross Rent
#276 of 875
68th percentile in Missouri
Median Home Value
#258 of 833
69th percentile in Missouri
Poverty Rate
#589 of 875
32nd percentile in Missouri
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#136 of 875
84th percentile in Missouri

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Missouri only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

22ndIncome percentile
60thSafety percentile

22nd percentile nationally for median household income · 60th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Centralia's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Centralia'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 50 Avg. percentile National median
Centralia'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 Centralia's home value compares nationally

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

$165,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. 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, MO Centralia, MO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Centralia, MO-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, MO median $51,868/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, MO'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, MO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.2%

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

Population
4,615
Median Income
$51,868
Median Home Value
$165,600
Median Age
45.4
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Labor force participation
49.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1086.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
41.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1044.9
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
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,500 residents4,600 residents4,700 residents4,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,563 residents 4,767 residents ▲ +4.5%
Centralia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2021 0
2022 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
66.9%
Carpool
18.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.2%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
2.6%

Based on 1,847 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$105
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$219
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Missouri 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 Missouri 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
90.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,160/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Missouri

Hollister
4,608 people
Lexington
4,602 people
Butler
4,594 people
Holts Summit
4,572 people
Charleston
4,565 people
Salem
4,673 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Centralia's 4,615 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lake Montezuma, AZ
4,615 people
Blackwood, NJ
4,615 people
Barnwell, SC
4,616 people
Beaufort, NC
4,613 people
Erwin, NC
4,617 people
La Joya, TX
4,613 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Centralia's $51,868 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pluckemin, NJ
$51,863 median income
Savoonga, AK
$51,875 median income
Hector, AR
$51,875 median income
Fleming, CO
$51,875 median income
Chestnut, IL
$51,875 median income
Henderson, IL
$51,875 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Centralia, MO 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, MO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.3% 10.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.8% White 88.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 10.4% 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 Missouri 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) 4,615 $51,868
Hollister 4,608 $57,778
Lexington 4,602 $70,134
Butler 4,594 $36,276
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Centralia, MO?

What is the population of Centralia, MO? +

4,615 people live in Centralia, MO according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Centralia runs $51,868, 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 Missouri state average, a cost of living index of 90.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Missouri vary by metro area.

Is Centralia, MO safe? +

Centralia has a total crime rate of 1086.7 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 Centralia, MO? +

A typical home in Centralia is worth $165,600, 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

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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.