Signals
Centralia
Burlington
Growth
26 · Bottom 14%
vs28 · Bottom 16%
Climate
67 · Top 48%
vs60 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
57 · Top 48%
vs63 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
66 · Bottom 31%
vs71 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 43%
vs55 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Centralia | Burlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,000 | 44,680 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,240 | $62,811 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,825 | $35,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 65/sq mi | 56/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $103,000 | $131,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $888 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 75.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.4% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | -11.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.9" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 20.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Centralia
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, strong wind.
Burlington
Elevated or high exposure: hail, drought, tornado.
Your best match
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Centralia
60
Your Score
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Area Score
Burlington
63
Your Score
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Centralia, IL Micro Area · Burlington, IA-IL Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology