Population 24,612 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Centralia
Household size in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.08 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Centralia run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has crept up from 2.43 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Centralia are younger than 39.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has crept up from 39.5 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Centralia than nationally: 13.3%, against 11.6%. Compared with other Washington cities, Centralia has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Centralia
Renters in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.4% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.4% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.9% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Centralia is about as common as it is nationally: 34.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 40.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the southeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.4 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.9% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Centralia: just 4.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Centralia has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Washington cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1967 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Centralia run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1967 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people, only 15 have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $700 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $830 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $889 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,160 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$460 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in Centralia pays $1,160 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $460 a month from 2006–10, a 66% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 35.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Centralia
Bachelor's degrees in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Centralia have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.4%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 8.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.7% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.1% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.8% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Centralia is close to the national rate: 90.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Washington overall (91.9%). The share with a diploma is up 6.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Centralia
| Period | Centralia | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Centralia runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.9 points, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Centralia compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centralia | 2.51 | 39.8 | 13.3% | 34.9% | 4.3% | 1972 | $1,160 | 22.4% | 90.1% | 4.6% |
| Fords Prairie | 3.06 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 28.0% | 5.2% | 1987 | $1,297 | 23.8% | 92.1% | 5.3% |
| Grand Mound | 2.82 | 43.4 | 5.7% | 24.9% | 8.7% | 1990 | $1,562 | 16.4% | 94.4% | 4.2% |
| Claquato | 2.96 | 41.9 | 11.4% | 13.3% | 8.1% | 1966 | $1,082 | 39.9% | 94.3% | 1.9% |
| Galvin | 2.75 | 44.6 | 8.7% | 19.6% | 6.9% | 1987 | $1,338 | 25.6% | 91.8% | 2.8% |
| Bucoda | 2.89 | 41.5 | 10.2% | 15.1% | 4.1% | 1990 | $1,364 | 24.6% | 90.8% | 4.7% |
| Newaukum | 2.90 | 42.5 | 8.9% | 23.6% | 7.1% | 1980 | $1,122 | 23.2% | 95.7% | 4.4% |
| Chehalis | 2.71 | 42.7 | 10.5% | 25.3% | 6.4% | 1979 | $1,152 | 25.2% | 92.7% | 4.5% |
| Rochester | 2.83 | 41.0 | 9.6% | 19.4% | 4.9% | 1992 | $1,433 | 20.9% | 92.1% | 4.1% |
| Bunker | 2.71 | 49.1 | 6.6% | 10.7% | 5.1% | 1990 | $1,236 | 31.4% | 91.6% | 3.9% |
| Napavine | 2.68 | 43.0 | 6.2% | 14.2% | 1.5% | 1992 | $1,311 | 16.3% | 89.0% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Darlington, SC · Raymore, MO · Radcliff, KY · Norton Shores, MI · Jackson, MO · Groveland, FL · Farmington, MO · Evergreen, CO · Elgin, TX · Edgewood, MD
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Centralia. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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