St. Paul Catholic Church, 1860
Center’s story
182 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1860.
- 1844Center is settled
CenterMO
A town of 542, settled in 1844.
St. Paul Catholic Church · Photo: Jim Roberts · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
542
2025 Census estimate · +1.1% since 2020
Typical home
$233K
+8.2% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
42.6
years
Jobs based here
92
A commuter town
Is Center a good place to live?
Only 3 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Center. Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
542 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Center: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Center, and how to reach them.
PowerUnion Electric13.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCannon Pwsd 1No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Center’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Missouri you can register online until 27 days before Election Day, in person until 27 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 27 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereRallsRalls County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2019
ZIP code6343663436 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 Center.
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: very high risk in Center, mostly inland flooding
FEMA puts nearly two thirds of Center’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 16% to heat waves. On expected storm and flood damage, Center sits above four fifths of U.S. communities. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2008.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Most of Center’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them
The middle household income for Center comes to $59,000. Since 2013, Center has lost 22 jobs, to 92 in 2023. Among residents locally, 14% live below the poverty line, against 14% in Missouri’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Half the trips to work are shorter than 16 miles.
0%work in town
| Center | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 14% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $62,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Center0%
Hannibal40%
Quincy6%
Columbia3%
New London3%
16 mi
median commute distance
92
jobs based in Center
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Center: four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 19° and about 16 inches of snow falls in a winter. Only 8 of the 248 Missouri towns we compare have a lower typical July afternoon high than Center.
16″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–39°
Spring43–64°
Summer65–85°
Fall45–66°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 11
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Center
No violent or property crimes were reported in Center in 2024. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Center is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2024
0
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Center is
Among adults in Center, 39% have obesity, where Missouri’s towns sit at 38% and U.S. towns at 35%. For adults here, the share who get no exercise outside work is 32%.
| Center | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better27 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Center | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 8.5% | 6.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 10% | 8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 8.6% |
Hannibal Regional Hospital
13.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Center: about $233K
Among households in Center, 83% are owner-occupiers. Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 8.2% in value.
$233KZillow home value
Typical home value
Center$233K
Missouri$265K
+8.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 263 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mason Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Center
19pages on Center
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Center; the nearest are
Hannibal-LaGrange UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Hannibal16.9 mi$26,880 tuitionJohn Wood Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Quincy, IL29.8 mi$5,700 in-state tuitionUniversity of Missouri-ColumbiaUniversity or college · Public · Columbia57.9 mi$14,837 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Center residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Center for work
Where Center’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
92jobs based in Center
0%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Center
City in Missouri, United States
Center is a city in Ralls County, Missouri, United States. The population was 528 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Hannibal Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 715 ft
- ZIP code
- 63436
- Area code
- 573
Questions about Center
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Center, MO a good place to live?
Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.