The Town FilesCenter, Texas
City in Shelby County · population 5,221 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,300
- Household income
- $48,293
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 33.3
Center is a city of 5,221 people in Shelby County, Texas. The median home is worth $83,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 77% of Texas towns, better transit than 70% of Texas towns.
How Center ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Center is worth $83,300, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $48,293, which is more affordable than 88% of Texas towns. Median rent is $823 a month. 56.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Center | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,300 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | $823 | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $48,293 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 56.5% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Center
| People | Center | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 31.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.1% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.7% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 16.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 89.2% |
Weather in Center
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 35.7°F. About 56.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 97 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 42 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 15, 1987 about 5.3 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 66 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 14, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 10, 1962.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| May 17, 2024 | Flood | DR-4781: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 8,678 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,298 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Center itself the ACS puts it at 10.3%.
Public schools in Center
6 public schools with 2,511 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CENTER H S | 9-12 | 685 | 12.9 |
| F L MOFFETT PRI | PK-2 | 677 | 16.5 |
| CENTER EL | 3-5 | 529 | 16.0 |
| CENTER MIDDLE | 6-8 | 492 | 10.9 |
| EXCELSIOR EL | PK-8 | 77 | 8.6 |
| ROUGHRIDER ACADEMY | 9-12 | 51 | 17.0 |
Towns near Center
- Carthage, TX26.5 mi · 6,569 people · home $164,200
Center questions
Is Center, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Center scores better for retirees than 33% of Texas towns and quieter than 35%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Center is valued at $83,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,293, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $823 a month.
What is the weather like in Center?
July highs average 93.8°F and January lows 35.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Center get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 15, 1987. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)