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.
If knowledge is power, Central is a pretty powerful place. 51.38% of the adults in Central have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.
The per capita income in Central in 2022 was $19,889, which is low income relative to South Carolina and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $79,556 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 34.35% 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 Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Central include Italian, Irish, German, English, and Other Arab.
The most common language spoken in Central is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Arabic.
