2013 · Central, LA, USA · Wikimedia Commons
Central’s story
21 years in pictures
2 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 2005Central is settled
- 2013Central, LA, USA
- 2023Central High School 9th grade academy
CentralLA
A town of 29,783, settled in 2005. Public schools that outperform most of Louisiana.
Population
29,783
+10.1% since 2010
Median home value
$289K
Census ACS
Household income
$90K
median
Median age
40.4
years
Jobs based here
5,842
A commuter town
What makes Central stand out
The 3 things Central does most differently from other towns.
ASchool Grade
Schools
#17 for schools in LA
of 153 towns
School Grade A.
100 U.S. towns● Central
Health
Healthier than 70%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than LA on 21 measures, worse on 1.
Outdoors
#26 most conserved land in LA
6.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
2.5% of the town is conserved land.
A growing town
Central has grown 10.1% since 2010
26,864 people in 2010; 29,783 today.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Central’s report card
Now in Central
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Central is #1 of 163 in LA for “Lowest obesity”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Central’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →90°
Clear
H 93° · L 73°
Local news
All →- Istrouma vs Away - Girls Varsity Volleyball 10/05/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
- St. John vs Port Barre - Boys Varsity Basketball 12/21/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
- Istrouma vs St. Helena C. - Girls Varsity Basketball 12/29/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Central. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Central’s public schools outperform 93% of Louisiana districts
The public schools Central’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 93% of Louisiana’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
ASchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Intermediate School | 3–5 | 1,039 | A |
| Tanglewood Elementary School | 1–2 | 622 | Not graded |
| Bellingrath Hills Elementary School | PK–K | 378 | Not graded |
| St. Alphonsus Liguori School Private | PK–8 | 431 | |
| Central Middle School | 6–8 | 1,012 | A− |
| Central High School | 9–12 | 1,529 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within LA on state tests and graduationAll 7 schools →
Health
Healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Central beats the Louisiana average on 21 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
B+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Louisiana
21 better10 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Central | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.8% | 22.5% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7% | 12.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.4% | 7.5% |
Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge
8.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
98th
percentile among LA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in nine working residents works right in Central
Most working residents leave Central for work: only 11% work in town. The top destinations are Baton Rouge (36%), Zachary (2%) and New Orleans (2%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
11%work in town
Where working residents work
In Central11%
Baton Rouge36%
Zachary2%
New Orleans2%
Denham Springs2%
11 mi
median commute distance
5,842
jobs based in Central
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
2.5% of Central is conserved land
6.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
2.5%conserved
2.5%
conserved · 1,016 of 39,884 acres
6.6 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
#26
most conserved land in LA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Frenchtown Conservation Area | 3.8 mi | 505 |
| 2. Blackwater Conservation Area | 1.5 mi | 67 |
| 3. Jackson Park | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
Homes in Central sell for about $312K
The median sale price was $312,000 in May 2026.
$312Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
72
days on market
98.3%
sale-to-list price
25
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 90% of U.S. communities.
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
1,869
paid flood claims since 1995
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Central has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 40°, and snow is almost unheard of.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter42–64°
Spring56–79°
Summer72–91°
Fall57–80°
Nov 26
typical first frost
Feb 25
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Safety
Crime reported in Central
Central's reported crime rate is well below Louisiana's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 2 reported in 2025.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Central0.1
Louisiana4.7
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Central0.6
Louisiana18.6
U.S.15.5
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
19
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
A commuter town
89% of working residents leave Central for work
Where Central’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5,842jobs based in Central
11%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Central
City in Louisiana, United States
Central is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, third largest city in East Baton Rouge Parish, and part of the Baton Rouge metropolitan statistical area. Central had a 2020 census population of 29,565.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 2005
- Population
- 29,565
- Area
- 63 sq mi
- Elevation
- 66 ft
Central’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Central.
Denham SpringsBrownfieldsMonticelloZacharySt. GeorgeCentral
More about Central
Still missing for Central:a photo of Centralupcoming events