United States › Tennessee › Central CITY · 2020 ACS
Central Tennessee · 2,114 residents · 3.52 sq mi
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The short version
Central is home to 2,114 people in Tennessee. The median age is 48.6, about 10 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. Households here earn about 58% less than in Tennessee as a whole. The median household earns $23,000, about 65% below the national median. The poverty rate is 25.4%, above the 12.8% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 48.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 38.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 2K 2K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Central Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $23,000
−46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,598 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $16,893 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Public administration 2.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$126,400
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $73,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$570
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $387 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 73.5% in 2000
31.9% rent
1.81 people
−20%since 2009
from 2.27 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 3.5 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.6%(2,679)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(13)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 91.4%(1,933)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(29)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 12.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 68.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 90.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 61.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 9.2%(7)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.7%(15)
Share of the 76 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
Compare Central to nearby cities CENTRAL VS
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CENTRAL VS
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Home value $234,100 +85%
Population 57,530 +2869%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Central, Tennessee? Central, Tennessee has about 2,114 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Central, Tennessee? The typical household in Central, Tennessee earns about $23,000 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Central, Tennessee expensive? In Central, Tennessee, the median home is worth about $126,400, and the typical rent is about $570 a month.
How educated are people in Central, Tennessee? About 13.3% of adults age 25 and over in Central, Tennessee hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Central, Tennessee? About 25.4% of people in Central, Tennessee live below the federal poverty line.
Has Central, Tennessee grown since 1990? Yes, Central, Tennessee has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 521 residents, a change of about -20 percent over that period.
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