Centralia Parks and Recreation Master Plan - City of Centralia, WA

Of special interest, Centralia has a significantly higher percentage
of persons 65 years of age and older – approximately 19% in the
2000 Census vs. 11.2% in the state as a whole. (The percentage of
persons 65 and older in the county as a whole has remained
relatively stable at 15.5% since the 1990 Census.) The city is in a
position to attract retired and elderly households who migrate to
the area due to mild weather, ample recreational resources, less
expensive living costs, and good medical care. Also, a mild
growth in population will occur due to continuing trends which
extend life expectancies.
Household Size
In 2000, there were 5,943 households in Centralia. The average
household size is slightly lower than the assumed number of 2.5
persons per household set by the Washington State Office of
Financial Management (OFM). The average family size is 3.02
(equal to the rest of Lewis County), and the average household
size is 2.4 persons (less than the county average).
Household and Per Capita Income
The median family household income in Centralia was $35,684 in
1999, according to the 2000 Census. The mean household
income was $30,078. These figures are less than other parts of
Lewis County (and significantly less than the state as a whole).
However, the mean retirement income at $26,885 is
approximately $7,000 greater than the rest of the county. This
suggests that many retired persons in Centralia are in a position
to purchase their choice of recreational pursuits, but low-income
households including the low-income elderly are at a
disadvantage.
Poverty
As of the 2000 Census, Centralia had 484 families living below
the poverty level, representing 13.6% of the population (and
above the state average of 7.3%). There were 427 families with
related children under 18 years of age. There were also 2,591
individuals living in the city below the poverty level, and 253 of
them were 65 years of age or older. The percentages represented
here are all well above both state and national averages, and mean
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City of Centralia Parks and Recreation Plan