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Living in
Central.
About
Life in Central
Central functions as a quiet, stable suburb for people working in Baton Rouge without wanting to live in the city itself. Your commute to downtown Baton Rouge runs about 28-30 minutes depending on where you're headed, and the highway connections are straightforward. The community skews older and more established—median age is nearly 40—which means you'll find a settled neighborhood feel rather than the transience of a young, growing area.
Central at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.4%
Foreign-Born
1.3%
Broadband Internet
95.4%
of households
Population Growth
+2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.3% foreign-born, most often from Costa Rica
Who lives in Central: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Central, the largest foreign-born group is from Costa Rica (27.2%), and 1.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.9%
of residents
65 and Older
18.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.7%
of households
Married Couples
57.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 23% above LA average
Rent, home values, and income in Central
In Central, rent runs 23% above the LA average, and home values are 33% above the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
40.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
90.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,868
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
88.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.1%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below LA average
Unemployment in Central
Unemployment in Central is 0.8 percentage points lower than the LA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Central Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute29 min avg
How Central residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Central, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 48% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 7 mi
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR)
Regional airport · few flights421k passengers boarded in 2025
- 60 mi
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Medium hub6.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safety
Crime rates
Crime data not available
The FBI has no complete year of crime data between 2018 and 2025 for the Central Police Department, so there's no reliable local crime rate to show for Central.
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 22 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
East Baton Rouge County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In East Baton Rouge Parish, which includes Central, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 22 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | Hail | $1.9M |
| 2024 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2023 | 42 | Excessive Heat | $190,000 |
| 2022 | 13 | Flash Flood | $345,000 |
| 2021 | 13 | Flash Flood | $250.3M |
| 2020 | 9 | Hail | $10.2M |
| 2019 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $945,000 |
| 2018 | 13 | Flash Flood | $120,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
East Baton Rouge Parish, county-wide
Air Quality51 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in East Baton Rouge Parish, which includes Central, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
51
Good Days
181
per year
Moderate Days
183
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
East Baton Rouge Parish, county-wide
Climate92°F summers, 43°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Central has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 43°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/58°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
64°/43°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
66.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
96
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
18
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
109
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 42°F | 6.36" |
| Feb | 67°F | 45°F | 4.42" |
| Mar | 73°F | 51°F | 4.46" |
| Apr | 79°F | 57°F | 5.08" |
| May | 86°F | 65°F | 5.23" |
| Jun | 91°F | 72°F | 6.45" |
| Jul | 92°F | 74°F | 5.09" |
| Aug | 92°F | 73°F | 6.37" |
| Sep | 89°F | 69°F | 4.42" |
| Oct | 81°F | 58°F | 4.84" |
| Nov | 71°F | 48°F | 3.90" |
| Dec | 64°F | 43°F | 5.32" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Central
Uninsured
5.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Central's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Oceans Behavioral Hospital of Baton Rouge
Psychiatric · 7.1 mi away · Baton Rouge
Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.3 mi away · Baton Rouge
Lane Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.6 mi away · Zachary
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Central
Central's student/teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 35.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Central (within 15 miles)
Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
13.1 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,594 students · in-state tuition $12,551 · 71% graduate · median earnings $64,338 (10 yrs after entry)
Southern University and A & M College
9.4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 5,519 students · in-state tuition $9,958 · 36% graduate · median earnings $47,186 (10 yrs after entry)
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University
11.8 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 821 students · in-state tuition $16,553 · 47% graduate · median earnings $63,092 (10 yrs after entry)
Southern University Law Center
9.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 607 students · median earnings $47,186 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Natchez National Historical Park, 71 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Central
Central has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Natchez National Historical Park (71 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Natchez National Historical Park
National Historical Park
71 mi awayNew Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
National Historical Park
71 mi awayJean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
National Historical Park and Preserve
74 mi awayPublic Libraries in Central
Central Branch
11260 Joor Road, Central
Cities Near Central
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Central?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Central FAQ
Is Central, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Central's median rent is $1,309/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $89,554/year. Median home value is $288,700.
What is the job market like in Central, Louisiana?⌄
Central has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Central, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Central is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,309/month and median household income is $89,554/year. The median home value is $288,700. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Central, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Central is 29 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from