United States › South Carolina › Central CITY
Central South Carolina · 5,298 residents (2025 est.) · 3.25 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
Central is home to 5,320 people in South Carolina. This skews young, with a median age of 24.0. Owners hold 26% of the housing stock. This is an unusually credentialed place: 56% of adults have a four-year degree. The poverty rate is 30.3%, above the 12.5% national rate. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 1,798 people.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 24.0
US median: 38.9
More educated
56% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 88%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,522 in 2000
5,298 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,636 / sq mi
+30%since 2009
from 1,254 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 24.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 3K 4K 5K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Central Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $60,258
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,869 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,394 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 29.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.453 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Education & health services 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing 3.6%
Public administration 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.5%
Professional, scientific, technical 0%
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$256,600
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $74,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$876
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $513 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 32.9% in 2000
73.6% rent
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.52 people
+17%since 2009
from 2.16 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 56.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.3 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 77.8%(2,741)
Hispanic / Latino 4.3%(152)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 61.2%(3,255)
Hispanic / Latino 6.2%(328)
from 56 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
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 30.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 14.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 68.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 87.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 85.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 8.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 67.8%(1,518)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.5% 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) 22.8%(18)
Gulf War (1990s) 48.1%(38)
Share of the 79 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Central Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Central, South Carolina? Central, South Carolina has about 5,320 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Central, South Carolina? The typical household in Central, South Carolina earns about $60,258 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Central, South Carolina expensive? In Central, South Carolina, the median home is worth about $256,600, and the typical rent is about $876 a month.
How educated are people in Central, South Carolina? About 56.1% of adults age 25 and over in Central, South Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Central, South Carolina? About 30.3% of people in Central, South Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Central, South Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Central, South Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,643 residents, a change of about 99 percent over that period.
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