Central is a somewhat small town located in the state of South Carolina. With a population of 5,322 people and four associated neighborhoods, Central is the 77th largest community in South Carolina.Unlike some towns where white-collar or blue-collar occupations dominate the local economy, Central is neither predominantly one nor the other. Instead, it has a mixed workforce of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Central is a town of professionals, service providers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Central who work in food service (12.01%), teaching (11.71%), and sales jobs (9.01%). Central is a place where college students are a big part of the character and culture of the town. Small towns have often struggled with declining populations over the past few decades, but the presence of such a large college student population has helped Central to fight this trend. Not only does the college population add spending and jobs to local economy, but it also contributes a very tangible, youthful energy to the town. 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.
