Central, Arizona Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 657, Central's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Central is a small community located in Arizona, within Graham County. The total population is 657. It ranks as the 245th most populous out of 441 Census-designated places in Arizona.

Age Demographics

The median age in Central is 26.8 years. This is 31% lower than the state median of 39.0 years. With 38.2% of the population under 18, Central has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Central is $97,365. This is 22% higher than the state median of $79,964. It is also 21% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.1%. This is 83% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.5%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Central, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $480,000. Housing costs are 22% higher than the state median of $394,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.9x. 71.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Central is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.2% of the population. Asian residents account for 9.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (84.2% vs 52.6%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (9.9% vs 3.5%).

Education

54.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Central in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 62% higher than the state rate of 33.3%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 16.0% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Central, Arizona is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Arizona state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 441 Census-designated places in Arizona. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.