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CentraliaMO

A town of 4,690. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.

Photo: HornColumbia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,690
+12.8% since 2010
Typical home
$281K
+5.6% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
40.9
years
Jobs based here
1,758
Balanced

What makes Centralia stand out

The 3 things Centralia does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data
A growing town

Centralia has grown 12.8% since 2010

4,027 people in 2010; 4,690 today.

4,0272010
4,5412020
4,690Today

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS

Centralia’s report card

See the data ↓

Now in Centralia

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Residents weigh in
Centralia is #6 of 212 in MO for “Highest graduation rate”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Centralia’s Town Square.
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H 69° · L 47°

Local news

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Upcoming events

Nothing on the calendar.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Centralia. Another town gets a different order.

Schools

Centralia’s public schools outperform 79% of Missouri districts

The public schools Centralia’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 79% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

A−School Grade
SchoolGradesStudentsGrade
Chance Elem.PK–2370Not graded
Centralia Intermediate3–5273B+
Chester Boren Middle6–8302B
Centralia High9–12398A
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduationAll 4 schools →
Outdoors

2.3% of Centralia is conserved land

1.2 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.

2.3%conserved
Map of Centralia: conserved land, trails and the top places to walk
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below
2.3%
conserved · 43 of 1,854 acres
1.2 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
#103
most conserved land in MO
#46
most walkable in MO
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Centralia City Recreation Park0.6 mi31
2. Nathan A. Toalson Bicentennial Park0.3 mi13
3. Jaycee Park0.1 mi2
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health

Healthier than 50% of U.S. towns

Centralia tracks Missouri closely on all 32 CDC measures.

B−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Boone Hospital Center
20.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
75th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute

About one in five working residents works right in Centralia

About one in 5 of Centralia’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Columbia (39%), Mexico (4%) and Jefferson City (4%). Half commute less than 20 miles.

22%work in town

Where working residents work

In Centralia22%
Columbia39%
Mexico4%
Jefferson City4%
Fulton1%
20 mi
median commute distance
1,758
jobs based in Centralia
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing

A typical Centralia home is worth about $281K

The typical Centralia home is worth about $281,000, up 5.6% in a year, close to the Missouri typical home.

$281KZillow home value

Typical home value

Centralia$281K
Missouri$268K
Market temperature
Seller’s marketA strong seller's marketBuyer’sSeller’s
32
days on market
+5.6%
value change, 1 year
11
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Safety

Less crime per resident than 70% of U.S. towns

Centralia reports less crime per resident than 70% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

B+Safety Grade

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Centralia0.4
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Centralia6
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
70th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
87th
percentile among MO towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
29
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate

Four seasons, pleasant summers

Centralia has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

15″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter23–40°
Spring43–64°
Summer65–85°
Fall45–66°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards

Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities.

50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
50Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Chatol
2009 · Chatol · Wikimedia Commons
Centralia’s story

Centralia in pictures

12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 2 places on the National Register.

Jorsini-councilRenaud 000446 164330 508227 4578Renaud 000447 164826 508226 4578
Explore the history →

Landmarks

2 places in Centralia on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Famous people from Centralia

7 notable people were born in Centralia.

See all 7 →

About Centralia

City in Boone and Audrain counties in Missouri, United States

Official town website ↗

Centralia is a city in Boone County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,541 at the 2020 census, with an estimated population of 4,244 in 2018. A very small portion of the city lies in Audrain County. The Boone County portion of Centralia (which forms the majority of the city) is part of the Columbia Metropolitan Statistical Area, while a small part in Audrain County is part of the Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Population
4,541
Area
2.9 sq mi
Elevation
883 ft
ZIP code
65240
Area code
573

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Photo of Centralia

Centralia, MO · Photo: HornColumbia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source ↗