The Town FilesCenter, Missouri
City in Ralls County · population 528 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $82,400
- Household income
- $59,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 42.6
Center is a city of 528 people in Ralls County, Missouri. The median home is worth $82,400, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks better for families than 86% of Missouri towns, quieter than 80% of Missouri towns, more of a college town than 73% of Missouri towns.
How Center ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Center is worth $82,400, below the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $59,375, which is more affordable than 98% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $400 a month. 82.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Center | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $82,400 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $400 | $855 |
| Median household income | $59,375 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 82.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Center
| People | Center | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.5% | 88.7% |
Weather in Center
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.7 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 2, 2006 about 5.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 25, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 10, 1984.
Severe weather in Ralls County since 1996
Ralls County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4612: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| June 2, 2017 | Flood | DR-4317: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ralls County
Ralls County had 3,599 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,377 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Center itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Center
3 public schools with 838 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RALLS COUNTY ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 384 | 12.8 |
| MARK TWAIN SR. HIGH | 9-12 | 259 | 13.6 |
| MARK TWAIN JR. HIGH | 6-8 | 195 | 15.0 |
Towns near Center
- New London, MO8.7 mi · 943 people · home $134,100
- Perry, MO8.8 mi · 665 people · home $112,100
- Vandalia, MO14.1 mi · 3,553 people · home $84,500
- Monroe City, MO14.7 mi · 2,652 people · home $159,300
- Hannibal, MO15.6 mi · 17,108 people · home $127,700
- Laddonia, MO19.4 mi · 502 people · home $80,200
- Palmyra, MO19.9 mi · 3,613 people · home $184,200
- Bowling Green, MO20.8 mi · 4,195 people · home $128,800
Center questions
Is Center, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Center scores better for retirees than 63% of Missouri towns and quieter than 80%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Center is valued at $82,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,375, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $400 a month.
What is the weather like in Center?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 13.7 inches of snow.
Does Center get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 2, 2006. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)