United States › Illinois › Centralia CITY
Centralia Illinois · 11,863 residents (2025 est.) · 8.20 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 11,856 people, Centralia is a city in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. The typical home is worth $89,600, having more than doubled since 2000. Households here earn about 43% less than in Illinois as a whole. 24.3% of residents live below the federal poverty line. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 14,136 in 2000
11,863 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,446 / sq mi
−12%since 2009
from 1,648 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 12K 13K 14K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Centralia Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $47,807
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,905 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,174 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.439 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Public administration 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.6%
Education & health services 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$89,600
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $48,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$765
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $375 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.4% in 2000
37.5% rent
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.16 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 47.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 85.8%(12,128)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(170)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 80.7%(9,562)
Hispanic / Latino 3.9%(466)
from 36 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 14.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 74.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 22.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 40.5%(1,876)
Women 15+
Never married 29.7%(1,418)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 57.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 16.8%(98)
Gulf War (1990s) 11.5%(67)
Share of the 585 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Centralia Head to head
Compare Centralia to nearby cities CENTRALIA VS
Mount Vernon
Income $55,357 +16%
Home value $99,800 +11%
Population 14,187 +20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CENTRALIA VS
Highland
Income $82,551 +73%
Home value $202,900 +126%
Population 10,042 −15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CENTRALIA VS
Mascoutah
Income $97,375 +104%
Home value $224,900 +151%
Population 9,239 −22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CENTRALIA VS
Shiloh
Income $99,573 +108%
Home value $274,000 +206%
Population 14,604 +23%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Centralia, Illinois? Centralia, Illinois has about 11,856 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Centralia, Illinois? The typical household in Centralia, Illinois earns about $47,807 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Centralia, Illinois expensive? In Centralia, Illinois, the median home is worth about $89,600, and the typical rent is about $765 a month.
How educated are people in Centralia, Illinois? About 16.4% of adults age 25 and over in Centralia, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Centralia, Illinois? About 24.3% of people in Centralia, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Centralia, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Centralia, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,414 residents, a change of about -17 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 