What it's like to live in Centralia
Centralia is a small city in Illinois with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Centralia deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- Cold winters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Centralia compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Centralia
Based on Centralia's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,530
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $30,600 a year
- 45% of Centralia renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$17,920
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $8,960
- Homes cost 1.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 46% below US
$765/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $765 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $89,600. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $89,600 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Marion County is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Marion County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 180% above US
923 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3257/100k · Centralia Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 27% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 24°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 54% below US
16% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Gateway Arch National Park (58 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Centralia's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($765/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Centralia
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