City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Central, TN

Central's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

1,944
Residents
$42,292
Median income
$126,700
Median home
$1,118
Median rent (state)
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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Central.

Place dossier plate

Sheet TN-CENTRAL-TN · Central, TN 1,944 pop · income 10th pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-LOW · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-BOTTOM · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 1,944
  • INC-LOW $42,292
  • COL-BELOW 91.9
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-BOTTOM 10th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Alderson
  • HOME-LOW $126,700
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Alderson, OK (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Central

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Central on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Central on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 1,944.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $42,292. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Central - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Central places in the 10th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

10th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
34th
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: Central, TN

Central is a small town in Tennessee, home to 1,944 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Central brings in $42,292 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 10.7%. Typical homes in Central are valued around $126,700, and the median resident age is 52.5 years. About 14.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 48.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Tennessee at 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,118 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 52.5 out of 100 (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Central's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to work and mobility to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Central, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for annual population history, within-city Census tract profiles, local building permits, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

How far does income reach against housing in Central?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.0 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 10.7%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Central?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 95.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 3

Which cities make useful reference points for Central?

Within Tennessee, the closest population matches are Berry Hill (1,944 residents, $76,709 income); Fairmount (1,932 residents, $133,232 income); New Johnsonville (1,930 residents, $75,114 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Dauphin Island, AL (1,944 residents); Shinnecock Hills, NY (1,944 residents); Shippensburg University, PA (1,944 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Population

1,944 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$42,292 /yr

Lowest-decile income · poverty 10.7% (Above-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

City profile score · Central, TN

35/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living B+
91.9 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Poverty rate F
10.7%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share F
14.2%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Household income F
$42,292

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Central profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share, Household income. Cost of livingPoverty rateBachelor's+ shareHousehold income 35 F
Central profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 78/100 (B+) · 91.9 index
  • Poverty rate: 37/100 (F) · 10.7%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 18/100 (F) · 14.2%
  • Household income: 10/100 (F) · $42,292

How does Central compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% 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

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

Tennessee-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Central near the bottom of Tennessee's cities

Among the 482 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Central ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Central only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#375 of 458
18th percentile in Tennessee
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 482
0th percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#354 of 455
22nd percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#225 of 482
53rd percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#289 of 482
39th percentile in Tennessee
How in-state ranks are ordered

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 Tennessee only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

10thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

10th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Central's home value compares nationally

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

$126,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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 $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

Central's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.0×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#6,669 of 15,516
More affordable than 57% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#5,648 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 3.0×, Central sits in the affordable band: national rank #6,669 of 15,516 and #5,648 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$42,292 Central, TN median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Central, TN Central, TN's median household income ($42,292) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Central, TN-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Central, TN median $42,292/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, TN median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Central, TN.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.0%

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

Population
1,944
Median Income
$42,292
Median Home Value
$126,700
Median Age
52.5
Poverty Rate
10.7%
Labor force participation
48.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.2%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
95.7%
Carpool
3.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
1.3%

Based on 776 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Tennessee statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $218

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Tennessee at $218 (electricity about $120 , water and sewer about $40 ).

These are Tennessee statewide averages, not a meter reading for Central. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Tennessee's BEA cost-of-living index is 91.9 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Central is $1,118/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Tennessee statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 52.5 / 100 (Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Tennessee statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Central sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Central compares to similar-size Tennessee cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Central (this city) 1,944 $42,292
Berry Hill 1,944 $76,709
Fairmount 1,932 $133,232
New Johnsonville 1,930 $75,114
Primary sources on this page

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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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