West of Buckio on 78, Center Township, 2016
Center Township’s story
Center Township in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 4 maps from 1961 on.
Explore the history →
Center TownshipMonroe County, OH
A town of 3,362.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
3,362
2025 Census estimate · −2.6% since 2020
Median home value
$119K
Census ACS
Household income
$49K
median
Median age
44.9
years
Jobs based here
1,398
Balanced
TownGrade
C+
#766 of 987 in OH
Is Center Township a good place to live?
Center Township gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $119K, 2 years of the county’s $60K median household income. It grades C+ overall, ranked 766th of 987 in Ohio. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $49K, and 19% of residents live below the poverty line, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 92% of the country. On the plus side, natural-hazard risk is low. 29% of working residents work locally in Center Township, above both the Ohio town median (6.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Only 153 of Ohio’s 1,718 towns score higher on walkability. Center Township's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 89% of U.S. towns.
What makes Center Township stand out
Where Center Township beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Center Township8
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical OH town3.9
Civic lifeA
2.1 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Ohio town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
How Center Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Ohio), ordered by how far Center Township is from typical.
Its grades run from A for hazard risk (better than 89% of comparable towns) to D− for jobs and income (better than 3%), so the C+ overall blends very different results.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →HealthWetzel County Hospital 14 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 9% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 15.5% of households have no car; 4.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA−Open →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trailsC+Open →HistoryAOpen →Civic life8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Center Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Center Township, and how to reach them.
PowerAEP Ohio19.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWoodsfield Village PWS3 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Center Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Ohio you can register online until 30 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDirector, Monroe County Board of ElectionsMonroe County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2019
ZIP codes43793, 43754, 4374743793 95% · 43754 2% · 43747 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Center Township.
HealthD
For health, Center Township earns a D
17% of Center Township adults have diabetes. Center Township beats the Ohio average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 35% of Center Township adults get no exercise outside work.
8%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Center Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 28% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 38% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Ohio
1 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Center Township | OH |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.3% | 79.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.3% | 8% |
Wetzel County Hospital
14 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
9th
percentile among OH towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC+
Center Township’s public schools trail 57% of Ohio districts
Its public schools are run by the Switzerland of Ohio Local school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
43%of OH districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodsfield Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 363 | C+ |
| Monroe Central High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 246 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within OH on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Very low risk in Center Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 91% of U.S. communities. Since 1998, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Center Township.
9risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingLightningTornadoes
5
paid flood claims since 1998
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Center Township, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Center Township has chilly winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 21° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter24–41°
Spring40–63°
Summer60–83°
Fall43–65°
Oct 26
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
About one in three working residents works right in Center Township
Center Township has about as many jobs (1,398) as working residents, but only 357 people both live and work here.
About one in 3 of Center Township’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Center Township is 28 minutes. Jobs based in Center Township grew to 1,398 in 2023, 201 more than in 2013.
29%work in town
| Center Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,000 | $75,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Center Township29%
Woodsfield24%
Cambridge5%
Columbus3%
Marietta3%
23 mi
median commute distance
1,398
jobs based in Center Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC+
Center Township has set aside 2% of its land for conservation
2.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Piatt Park Gorge & Cave Area, at 125 acres with 1.7 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Center Township’s trail density is 0.1 miles per square mile.
#606for trails in OH
| Center Township | Ohio towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
2%
conserved · 514 of 26,332 acres
2.9 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Piatt Park Gorge & Cave Area | 1.7 mi | 125 |
| 2. Monroe County Fairgrounds | — | 47 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Center Township
18pages on Center Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Center Township; the nearest are
Ohio University-Eastern CampusUniversity or college · Public · Saint Clairsville22.9 mi$6,362 in-state tuitionBelmont CollegeCommunity college · Public · St Clairsville23.3 mi$4,698 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Center Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Ohio.
About Center Township
Township in Ohio, US
Center Township is one of the eighteen townships of Monroe County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,446.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 41 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,178 ft
Center Township’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Center Township.
Adams TownshipMalaga TownshipWayne TownshipGreen TownshipSunsbury TownshipSummit TownshipCenter Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | OH rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center Township | #766 | C+ | A | — | C+ | D |
| Adams Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Malaga Township | — | — | A− | — | C+ | D |
| Wayne Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Green Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sunsbury Township | — | — | A | — | C+ | D |
| Summit Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Malaga Township and Sunsbury Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Center Township, Malaga Township and Sunsbury Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Adams Township, Wayne Township, Green Township and Summit Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Center Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Center Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Center Township, OH a good place to live?
Center Township grades C+ overall, better than 35% of U.S. towns and #766 of 987 in Ohio. It grades D for health and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Center Township, OH expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.