Central is a small town with a large college student population. Because of this, there is a real youthful, hip vibe to the place, and much of the life in the town is centered on the college. This has helped Central to buck the trend of other small towns that have suffered declining populations over the past 20 to 30 years. Spending by students, and faculty and staff jobs, are a big part of the local economy.
For a small town, there is also a high proportion of single, often educated, people living in Central. This is not typical for smaller communities in America, and adds a feeling of vibrancy to Central.
Despite the fact that it is a small town, Central has quite a few people who take public transportation – mostly the bus - for their daily commute to work. This helps to fill a real need in the town for affordable transportation.
Central is one of the most well-educated cities in the nation. 48.56% of adults in Central have at least a bachelor's degree. Compare that to the average community in America, which has just 21.84% with a bachelor's degree or higher.
The per capita income in Central in 2022 was $21,506, which is lower middle income relative to South Carolina, and low income relative to the rest of the US. This equates to an annual income of $86,024 for a family of four. However, Central contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. Central also has one of the higher rates of people living in poverty in the nation, with 31.42% of its population below the federal poverty line.
Central is an extremely ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Central home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Central residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Central include Irish, Italian, German, English, and Other Arab.
The most common language spoken in Central is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Arabic.
