Centralia and Mount Vernon receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Centralia
Mount Vernon
Opportunity
25 · Bottom 3%
vs22 · Bottom 2%
Growth
10 · Bottom 2%
vs9 · Bottom 1%
Climate
67 · Bottom 39%
vs68 · Bottom 41%
Physical resilience
54 · Bottom 46%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs96 · Top 17%
Schools
43 · Bottom 39%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs80 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Centralia | Mount Vernon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,856 | 14,090 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,807 | $55,357 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,963 | $31,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,446/sq mi | 961/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $89,600 | $99,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $765 | $910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.5% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.3% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -83.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.7" | 45.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 53 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 15.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 38.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.32 | 13.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.5% | 13.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.7% | 15.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 69.2% | 2024-25 school 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.
Mount Vernon
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Centralia
50
Your Score
48
Area Score
Mount Vernon
50
Your Score
47
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Centralia, IL · Mount Vernon, IL · How this is calculated: methodology