Cell Tower - panoramio (11), 2013
Center’s story
176 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2013 and 3 maps from 1891 on.
- 1850Center is settled
CenterWI
A town of 1,044, settled in 1850.
Population
1,044
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Typical home
$470K
+9.9% in a year
Household income
$112K
median
Median age
47.6
years
Jobs based here
216
A commuter town
Is Center a good place to live?
Center’s best subject grade is an A− for incomes; its weakest is a C− for walkability. Center’s average trip to work is 29 minutes, above both Wisconsin’s towns (22 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). On the outdoors, just 54 of Wisconsin’s 879 towns do worse. Center has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Center stand out
Where Center beats most towns.
Small town
1,044 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
FootvilleJanesvillePlymouthMagnoliaPorterCenter
How Center grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Center is from typical.
Jobs & incomeA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3 of 20; 1.3% of households have no car; 2.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →SchoolsBeat 66% of Wisconsin districts on tests and graduationB+Open →HealthMercy Health System 9 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life0 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
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: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Center, and how to reach them.
PowerWisconsin Power & Light18.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFootville Waterworks1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Center’s trash rules yet
SchoolsEvansville Community School DistrictParkview School District2 districts serve Center; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Center ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP codes53548, 5353653548 60% · 53536 40%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.
HousingCost of living grade C−
Homes in Center are worth about $470K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Center home is worth about $470,000, up 9.9% in a year, 39% above the Wisconsin typical home. 88% of households own their home in Center, above both the Wisconsin town median (74%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%).
$470KZillow home value
| Center | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 88% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,196 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Center$470K
Wisconsin$337K
+9.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Center has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Center for work: only 2% work in town. The median household income in Center is $112,000. Since 2013, Center has added 123 jobs, to 216 in 2023.
2%work in town
| Center | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $112,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 12% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.9% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.4% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Center2%
Janesville25%
Madison11%
Beloit5%
Evansville5%
14 mi
median commute distance
216
jobs based in Center
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 22% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Center faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 76% of U.S. communities.
24risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Center
Center has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 12° and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.
37″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–31°
Spring36–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall40–60°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Wisconsin overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 46% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 15% of residents (22% statewide). Center’s median age is 47.6 years. 29% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
47.6median age · WI 40.2
| Center | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.6 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 20% | 18% |
CenterWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school38%
Some college16%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s19%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
45% women, 55% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9.9 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Center | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.6% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.5% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.5% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.3% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.9% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 37.7% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.3% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.4% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.4% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.2% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,000, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB−
Center ranks healthier than 54% of the country’s towns
Center tracks Wisconsin closely on all 32 CDC measures. 41% of Center adults have obesity.
55%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Center | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 38% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 20% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 78% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 33% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Mercy Health System
In Janesville · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Center
18pages on Center
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Center
About 4 of every 100 Center residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Center for work
Where Center’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
216jobs based in Center
2%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Center
Town in Wisconsin, United States
The Town of Center is located in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,046 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Center is in the town. The ghost town of Fellows was also located in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 968 ft
- Area code
- 608
Questions about Center
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Center, WI expensive?
Yes. That is 6.2 years of the area's median household income ($75,673 across the Janesville-Beloit, WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.