Centralia is a medium-sized city located in the state of Illinois. With a population of 11,787 people and five associated neighborhoods, Centralia is the 197th largest community in Illinois.

Compared to the rest of the country, citizens of Centralia spend much less time in their cars: on average, their commute to work is only 18.21 minutes. This also means that noise and pollution levels in the city are less than they would otherwise be.

In terms of college education, the citizens of Centralia rank slightly lower than the national average. 16.36% of adults 25 and older in Centralia have a bachelor's degree or advanced degree, while 21.84% of adults have a 4-year degree or higher in the average American community.

The per capita income in Centralia in 2022 was $26,963, which is low income relative to Illinois, and lower middle income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $107,852 for a family of four. However, Centralia contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Centralia is a somewhat ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Centralia home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Centralia residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Centralia include German, Irish, English, Italian, and Scots-Irish.

The most common language spoken in Centralia is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Polish.