Shelby County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Center’s story
Center in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
CenterTX
A town of 5,271. A regional job hub with 5,901 jobs.
Photo: Billy Hathorn at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
5,271
+0.5% since 2010
Typical home
$213K
−5.4% in a year
Household income
$48K
median
Median age
33.3
years
Jobs based here
5,901
A job hub
What makes Center stand out
The 3 things Center does most differently from other towns.
5,901jobs here
Work
5,901 jobs
based in Center, a regional job hub
49% of working residents work in town.
$213Ktypical home
Housing
$213K typical home
29% below the TX typical home
Down 5.4% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Center
Health
97% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than TX on 2 measures, worse on 16.
A job hub
Every workday, about 4,838 people come to Center for work
Where Center’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
5,901jobs based in Center
49%of working residents work in town
3 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Center’s report card
Commute3 miHalf of commuters travel lessHousing$213K29% below the TX typical homeHealthD−Healthier than 3% of U.S. townsSafetyDLess crime than 13% of U.S. townsHazards17/100Very low risk of storm & flood damageClimate94°/37°Summer high · winter low · 1″ snowSchoolsBBeats 56% of TX districtsOutdoors1 miof trails · 2% conserved
Now in Center
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Center? Is a D− for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Center’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →77°
Cloudy
H 90° · L 69°
Local news
All →- Trans-Siberian Orchestra Houston tickets on sale at Toyota CenterTicketNews · Sep 17
- Weezer Concert Setlist: Discover the Average Song ListTicketmaster Blog · Sep 11
- Omar Courtz Setlist: What to Expect on 2026 POR SI MAÑANA NO ESTOY USA TOURTicketmaster Blog · Aug 20
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Center. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About half of working residents work right in Center
49% of Center’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Houston (5%), Nacogdoches (4%) and Lufkin (3%). Half commute less than 3 miles.
49%work in town
Where working residents work
In Center49%
Houston5%
Nacogdoches4%
Lufkin3%
Beaumont1%
3 mi
median commute distance
5,901
jobs based in Center
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing
A typical Center home is worth about $213K
The typical Center home is worth about $213,000, down 5.4% in a year, 29% below the Texas typical home.
$213KZillow home value
Typical home value
Center$213K
Texas$299K
−5.4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Center beats the Texas average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 16.
D−Health Grade
26 measures vs. Texas
2 better8 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Center | TX |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.4% | 17% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.2% | 74.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.6% | 12.5% |
Chi St. Lukes Health Memorial San Augustine
18.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
4th
percentile among TX towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 13% of U.S. towns
Center reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 87% report less.
DSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Center6.5
Texas3.5
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Center16.5
Texas18.1
U.S.15.5
13th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
9th
percentile among TX towns
34
violent crimes reported in 2025
86
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 17% of U.S. communities.
17risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
2
paid flood claims since 1992
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Center has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 93°, a January night drops to 37°, and snow is almost unheard of.
94°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–60°
Spring54–77°
Summer71–92°
Fall55–78°
Nov 15
typical first frost
Mar 13
typical last frost
+0.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
94°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Center’s public schools outperform 56% of Texas districts
The public schools Center’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 56% of Texas’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
BSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| F L Moffett Pri | PK–2 | 630 | Not graded |
| Center El | 3–5 | 476 | C+ |
| Center Middle | 6–8 | 496 | B+ |
| Center H S | 9–12 | 662 | B |
| Roughrider Academy | 9–12 | 43 | D− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within TX on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Outdoors
2% of Center is conserved land
1.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
2%conserved
2%
conserved · 102 of 5,102 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Center Municipal Park | — | 13 |
| 2. Center Mini Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Landmarks
2 places in Center on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Center
City in Texas, United States
Center is a city in Shelby County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,221 at the 2020 U.S. census. It is the county seat of Shelby County located in deep East Texas. It was named for its location near the center of Shelby County; the community is near the Louisiana border.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 5,221
- Area
- 7.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 371 ft
- ZIP code
- 75935
- Area code
- 936
More about Center
Still missing for Center:archive photosupcoming events