La Center, 2012
La Center’s story
123 years in pictures
Census counts: 426 in 1910, 872 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 4 maps from 1928 on.
- 1903La Center is settled
La CenterKY
A town of 858, settled in 1903.
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Population
858
2025 Census estimate · −1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$131K
−5.6% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
50.0
years
Jobs based here
333
Balanced
Is La Center a good place to live?
27% of residents live below the poverty line in La Center, above both Kentucky’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 4 of the 143 Kentucky towns we compare have a higher median age than La Center. La Center’s trail density is 1.7 miles per square mile, where Kentucky’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. La Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
A shrinking town
La Center has shrunk 15% since 2010
1,009 counted in 2010 and 872 in 2020; an estimated 858 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to La Center: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in La Center, and how to reach them.
PowerKU11.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLacenter Municipal Water CoNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have La Center’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kentucky you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBallard County ClerkBallard County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2019
ZIP code4205642056 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in La Center.
Housing
The typical home in La Center is valued at about $131K
The typical La Center home is worth about $131,000, down 5.6% in a year, 43% below the Kentucky typical home. 73% of households own their home in La Center.
$131KZillow home value
| La Center | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 73% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $900 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
La Center$131K
Kentucky$231K
−5.6%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Drought leads a very high hazard risk in La Center
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtEarthquakesInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In La Center, expect four seasons and hot summers
La Center has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in La Center is 89°F.
9″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–47°
Spring47–69°
Summer67–88°
Fall48–70°
Oct 28
typical first frost
Apr 5
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
About one in three of La Center’s working residents commute to Paducah
Most working residents leave La Center for work: only 5% work in town. Jobs based in La Center grew to 333 in 2023, 50 more than in 2013. La Center’s median household income is $57,000.
5%work in town
| La Center | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 5.5% | 15% | 8% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In La Center5%
Paducah30%
Wickliffe4%
Kevil3%
Calvert City2%
18 mi
median commute distance
333
jobs based in La Center
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in La Center
No violent or property crimes were reported in La Center in 2023. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
La Center is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2023
0
property crimes reported in 2023
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy La Center is
La Center beats the Kentucky average on 5 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 44% of La Center adults have high blood pressure. Only 7 of the 142 Kentucky towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than La Center.
| La Center | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 79% | 79% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
5 better21 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | La Center | KY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.6% | 15.5% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 7.5% | 8.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.8% | 8.7% |
Massac Memorial Hospital
14.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.9%conserved
0.9%
conserved · 3 of 385 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 1.7 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about La Center
18pages on La Center
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of La Center
About 1 of every 100 La Center residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
Small town
858 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About La Center
City in Kentucky, United States
LaCenter, formerly and often informally written as La Center, is a home rule-class city in Ballard County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 872 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous community in the county. It is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1903
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 367 ft
- ZIP code
- 42056
Questions about La Center
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is La Center, KY a good place to live?
La Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.