Median Income
$50,203
household / year
Median Home Value
$100,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$640
gross / month
Cost of Living
88
national avg = 100

Is Center, CO a Good Place to Live?

Center is a small town of 2,349 in Colorado, with a median household income of $50,203 and a 10.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: Center stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Center is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Center city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 87.8

Center's overall cost of living index is 87.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Center costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric Center, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $100,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $640 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 59.8% 65.9%
Median Household Income $50,203 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Center's violent crime rate is 104.1 per 100,000 residents — 73% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
104.1 /100k
Property Crime
312.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Center is served primarily by Center Consolidated School District No. 26 Jt. of the count. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Center, CO National Avg
School District Center Consolidated School District No. 26 Jt. of the count —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 75.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Center sees average highs of 31.6°F in January and 79.8°F in July, with 8.1 inches of annual precipitation and 25.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricCenter, CO
Average High — January31.6°F
Average High — July79.8°F
Annual Precipitation8.1"
Annual Snowfall25.1"

Demographics

MetricCenter, CONational Avg
Population2,349—
Median Age36.638.9
Unemployment Rate10.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time14.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.9%59.3%
Black or African American3.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino21.9%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1828.1%22.2%
65 and over12.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Monte Vista, CO 12 mi Hooper, CO 13 mi Del Norte, CO 14 mi Moffat, CO 21 mi Alamosa, CO 23 mi

ZIP Codes in Center

Center, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code:

81125

Center vs Other Cities

Center, CO vs Monte Vista, CO Center, CO vs Hooper, CO Center, CO vs Del Norte, CO Center, CO vs Moffat, CO Center, CO vs Alamosa, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Center's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Center roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $100,000 and median rent is $640/month.
Center's violent crime rate is 104.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 312.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Center are operated by Center Consolidated School District No. 26 Jt. of the count. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1. 16.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Center, CO has a population of 2,349, a median household income of $50,203, and an unemployment rate of 10.7%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Center averages 31.6°F in January and 79.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 8.1 inches with about 25.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Center, CO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 81125.
The population of Center, Colorado is 2,349 with a median age of 36.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Center: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $100,000, median household income $50,203, crime index 22 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Center side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.