Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 11,856 residents · Marion County, Illinois

Centralia , Illinois

In Centralia, a typical home is worth $89,600 and typical rent is $765 a month. Compared with all of Marion County, typical household income is 22% lower, the typical home value is 13% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

Centralia in numbers

  • Typical home value

    $89,600

    13% below the county

    66% below Illinois

    • Centralia
    • Marion
    • Illinois
  • Typical rent

    $765a month

    4% below the county

    40% below Illinois

    • Centralia
    • Marion
    • Illinois
  • Typical household income

    $47,807a year

    22% below the county

    43% below Illinois

    • Centralia
    • Marion
    • Illinois
  • Households that own their home

    63%

    12 points below the county

    5 points below Illinois

    • Centralia
    • Marion
    • Illinois

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$114,700
7.2% more than 12 months ago
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $93,406 to $114,700.

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Centralia is in Marion County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Marion County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Centralia apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Pinckneyville, the typical rent is $416: 46% less than in Centralia ($765).

  2. Centralia has the 16th lowest typical household income of the 337 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people ($47,807).

  3. Centralia has the 19th lowest typical home value of the 336 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people ($89,600).

  4. Centralia has the 20th lowest typical rent of the 331 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people ($765).

  5. 63% of households in Centralia own their home, against 75% in Marion County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Centralia

What homes there are in Centralia, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home
Kind of home: Centralia and its comparisons
MeasureCentraliaMarion CountyIllinoisUnited States
Detached house 75%72%58%61%
Attached house Unreliable estimate1%6%6%
Building of 2 to 4 8%5%12%8%
Apartments (5 or more) 13%6%22%19%
Mobile home 4%17%2%6%
Boat, RV and other Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%0%

The detached house rules in Centralia: 75% of homes, more than in Marion County (72%).

Year built
Year built: Centralia and its comparisons
MeasureCentraliaMarion CountyIllinoisUnited States
Before 1960 40%33%38%26%
1960–1979 36%29%26%24%
1980–1999 15%23%20%25%
2000–2009 4%9%11%14%
2010 or later 6%6%6%11%

The typical home in Centralia was built in 1965, 8 years before the typical one in Marion County.

There are fewer big homes in Centralia than in Marion County: 55% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Value of owner-occupied homes: Centralia and its comparisons
MeasureCentralia
Under $100K 60%
$100K–$200K 32%
$200K–$300K 4%
$300K–$500K Unreliable estimate
$500K–$750K Unreliable estimate
$750K–$1M Unreliable
$1M or more Unreliable
Monthly rent with utilities
Monthly rent with utilities: Centralia and its comparisons
MeasureCentralia
Under $500 26%
$500–$999 50%
$1,000–$1,499 18%
$1,500–$1,999 Unreliable estimate
$2,000–$2,499 Unreliable estimate
$2,500–$2,999 Unreliable
$3,000 or more Unreliable estimate

About 68% of rented homes in Centralia cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Marion County ($930).

With a mortgage

$1,173 a month

Marion County: $1,206 a month

Without a mortgage

$516 a month

Marion County: $522 a month

Owners with a mortgage

45%

Marion County: 51%

Owning costs about the same in Centralia as in Marion County: with a mortgage, $1,173 a month; without one, $516.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019
Change since 2015–2019: Centralia and its comparisons
MeasureCentraliaMarion CountyIllinoisUnited States
Typical home value +29%+32%+35%+53%
Typical rent +20%+23%+26%+33%
Typical household income +27%+29%+27%+29%

Homes in Centralia gained value more slowly than in Marion County: 29% since 2015–2019, against 32%.

The typical rent in Centralia rose 20% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Marion County (23%).

To compare: typical income in Centralia rose 27%; the home, +29%; the rent, +20%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

How people live: Centralia and its comparisons
MeasureCentraliaMarion CountyIllinoisUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.0%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.2%2.5%3.4%
People per household 2.212.332.462.53
Drive alone 77%83%66%69%
Carpool 13%10%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate6%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Work from home 6%5%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Centralia has 2.21 people, fewer than in Marion County (2.33).

More people carpool to work in Centralia than in Marion County: 13% against 10%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Centralia?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Centralia, worth $89,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 20% of the typical household income in Centralia, which is $47,807 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Marion County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Centralia. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $3,136 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$803

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$87,977
Total interest
$126,578
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,513 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,115 a month

    Your payment · 20%

  • Tight

    $1,115 to $1,434 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,434 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Centralia ($47,807 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$803
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest$596
Property tax$130
Home insurance$37
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$40

You need at least $3,136 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

Total monthly payment $803; principal and interest $596.

The city and its county

Centralia and Marion County

Centralia is in Marion County, Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Map of Marion County, Illinois, with Centralia marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.

Centralia's own numbers

Typical home value
$89,600
Typical monthly rent
$765
Typical yearly household income
$47,807
Households that own their home
63%
Effective property tax rate
1.74%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Marion County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$930
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+53%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Marion County.

Everything about Marion County

Buying

Buying a home in Centralia

A typical home in Centralia is worth $89,600: 13% below the county and 66% below Illinois. With the typical household income in Centralia ($47,807 a year), a typical home costs 1.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Centralia 1.9 years
  • Marion 1.7 years
  • Illinois 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Marion County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Marion County rose 70% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Marion County.

Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Marion County, 2016 to 2025
  1. 2020: +4.5%
  2. 2021: +6.8%
  3. 2022: +14.1%
  4. 2023: +15.1%
  5. 2024: +2.9%
  6. 2025: +6.2%
Change in FHFA’s price index in Marion County, Illinois and the United States
Period County Illinois U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.2% +5.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +53% +47% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +70% +65% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Centralia next to Marion County, Illinois and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Centralia $89,600
  • Marion $103,000
  • Illinois $263,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Centralia $765
  • Marion $794
  • Illinois $1,274
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Centralia $47,807
  • Marion $61,240
  • Illinois $83,390
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Centralia next to Marion County and Illinois
Measure Centralia Marion County Illinois U.S.
Typical home value $89,600 13% below the county $103,000 $263,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $765 4% below the county $794 $1,274 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $47,807 22% below the county $61,240 $83,390 $80,734
Households that own their home 63% 12 points below the county 75% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,558 11% below the county $1,759 $5,298 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.74% 0.03 points above the county 1.71% 2.01% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 48% 5 points above the county 43% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Marion County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Centralia

For a typical $89,600 home in Centralia, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Centralia's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $803a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $3,136
    Cash to close
    $5,824
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $40
  • Conventional, 5% down $786a month

    Down payment
    $4,480
    Cash to close
    $7,168
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $43
  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $653a month

    Down payment
    $17,920
    Cash to close
    $20,608
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None
  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $736a month

    Down payment
    $13,440
    Cash to close
    $16,128
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Centralia and for Marion County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Centralia

1.74%of the home’s value each year

$1,558 a year for the typical owner in Centralia.

  • Centralia 1.74%
  • Marion 1.71%
  • Illinois 2.01%

What Illinois publishes General Homestead Exemption (Illinois Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Illinois

Flood risk in Marion County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Marion County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.1%
170
Of those, with NFIP insurance
8.8%
Homes in the high-risk zone and with NFIP insurance: Marion County, Illinois and the U.S.
Measure County Illinois U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.1% 1.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 8.8% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Centralia

Typical rent in Centralia is $765 a month: 4% below the county. In Centralia, 48% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Marion County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($930 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $17.88 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Marion County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

HUD fair market rent in Marion County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $661 $12.71 $26,440
1 bedroom $767 $14.75 $30,680
2 bedrooms $930 $17.88 $37,200
3 bedrooms $1,210 $23.27 $48,400
4 bedrooms $1,554 $29.88 $62,160

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Centralia

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Centralia is in ZIP code 62801.

For 2 bedrooms it is $960: $30 more than the fair market rent for Marion County ($930).

  • 62801 $960$1,250

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Centralia when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Centralia

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Centralia. These are the largest.

  • Centralia Site 1&2 705 N Elm St, Centralia 62801 193 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of Marion County · Average payment: $327 a month · Average wait: 5 months · Homes at several sites (618) 532-1894
  • The Villas at Heritage Woods 3 Heritage Cir, Centralia 62801 50 low-income homes · 1 bd: 25 · 2 bd: 25 · In service since 2009
  • Hickory Ridge Apts 500 Hickory Ridge Ct, Centralia 62801 48 low-income homes · 2 bd: 36 · 3 bd: 12 · In service since 2004 · For families
  • Maplewood Estates 104 Fairway Dr, Centralia 62801 48 low-income homes · 1 bd: 24 · 2 bd: 24 · In service since 2012
  • Hickory Meadows Subdivision 33 Hickory Meadows Dr, Centralia 62801 32 low-income homes · 3 bd: 32 · In service since 2006 · For families

See all 12 buildings in Marion County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Centralia

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Marion County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man smiles on a bench outside his apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Centralia

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Centralia or Marion County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Centralia the same as in the rest of the state.

  • IHDAccess Home

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with deferred payments for first-time buyers in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

  • IHDAccess Forgivable

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan forgiven little by little over ten years, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

  • IHDAccess Deferred

    Statewide in Illinois

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois. Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).

Housing counselors near Centralia

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Centralia, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • C.e.f.s. Fayette County Outreach Office

    517 W. Gallatin Street, Vandalia · 30 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
  • C.e.f.s. Clay County Outreach Office

    835 West North, Flora · 35 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
  • Urban League of Metropolitan ST. Louis - ST. Clair County Operations

    10220 Lincoln Trail, Fairview Heights · 48 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 6 more

All counseling agencies in Illinois

Help in Spanish near Centralia

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Centralia

HUD’s record names them for Centralia or Marion County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of Marion County Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (618) 532-1894

All housing agencies in Illinois Source: HUD

Questions

Housing questions about Centralia

Short answers with the numbers for Centralia and all of Marion County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Centralia?

The typical home value in Centralia is $89,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Marion County it is $103,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Centralia?

Typical rent in Centralia is $765 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Marion County is $930.

What is the FHA loan limit in Centralia?

Centralia uses the FHA limit for all of Marion County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Centralia?

The typical homeowner in Centralia pays $1,558 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.74% of the home’s value; in Marion County, the rate is 1.71%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Centralia?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Marion County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).