Centralia, Illinois

About Centralia

Set in the southern part of Illinois, Centralia is a close-knit town counting 11,787 people who proudly call it home.

Officially, Centralia is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 8.2 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 1,437 residents per square mile.

📰 Centralia News Today

• Centralia High School (IL) Girls Basketball MaxPreps · Aug 14
• Madison Burton Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information sutherlandfuneralhome.com · Aug 15
• Elmwood Speaks: Where the Past Comes to Life morningsentinel.com · Aug 17
• Centralia Police investigating three residential burglaries southernillinoisnow.com · Aug 17
• 19-year-old killed in Centralia, Illinois, shooting KSDK · Apr 19

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Centralia Unique

• One of 6 places in the US named Centralia — but the Illinois one has a character all its own.
• Positioned in southern Illinois, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of Illinois — one of 1,461 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
• Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 11,787.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 4 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Centralia

• Bonnie Cafe — burger
• House of Dreams — barbecue
• Orphan Smokehouse — barbecue
• Tequilla Mexican Testaurant — mexican
• The Centralia House
• The Golden Pancake House
• The Rail Coffeehouse (café)

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• Centralia Historical Society · Museum

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Centralia

• Bell Tower Park reviews ★
• Fairview Park reviews ★
• Foundation Park reviews ★
• Foundation Park Prairie Restoration reviews ★
• Foundation Park Sprehe Fields reviews ★
• Foundation Park Wetlands reviews ★
• Laura Leake Park reviews ★
• Library Park reviews ★
• Lions Athletic Field reviews ★
• Raccoon Lake Park reviews ★
• Rotary Field reviews ★
• Water Tower Park reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Centralia

• Bridges Learning Center
• Central City Elem School
• Centralia Alternative School
• Centralia High School
• Centralia Jr High School
• Centralia Pre-Kindergarten Ctr
• Grand Prairie Elem School
• Hoyleton Education Center
• Jordan Elem School
• Kaskaskia Education Center
• North Wamac Grade School
• Raccoon Cons Elem School
• Safe School Program Centralia
• Schiller Elem School

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare

• Ssm Health St Mary'S Hospital -Centralia ★★★ (3/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER

Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Centralia

🏘️ Nearby Communities