Centerville, Iowa
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Centerville is a city located in Appanoose County, Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 5,924. It is the county seat of Appanoose CountyTemplate:GR. Centerville once boasted a rich history of coal mining that attracted many European immigrants, especially Italian-Americans and Croatian Americans to the area.
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Geography
Centerville is located at 40°43'47" North, 92°52'19" West (40.729836, -92.872012)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.8 km² (4.6 mi²). 11.7 km² (4.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.88% water.
History
Founded in 1846 by Jonathon Stratton under name Chaldea, the town was planned around a unique two-block long city square. The name was later changed to Centerville. The town experienced it's peak population in the early 1900's as the popularity of coal peaked. After that point, as coal usage dwindled, the coal industry that had been the town's life blood collapsed. In the 1950's and 1960's a civic movement to promote new industries began. This effort culminated in the building of Iowa's largest recreational lake, Rathbun Lake, in 1971. Today the town is supported by many industrial plants, mostly in the area of plastic products. From the 1990's to present day, the town has focused on quality-of-life issues, in an attempt to attract and keep young families in the area. A new emphasis on the arts, culture and local history has emerged, culminating in the Townscape project to beautify the town square area.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 5,924 people, 2,583 households, and 1,516 families residing in the city. The population density is 506.0/km² (1,310.5/mi²). There are 2,935 housing units at an average density of 250.7/km² (649.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 97.35% White, 0.81% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.52% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,583 households out of which 27.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% are married couples living together, 11.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% are non-families. 36.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 18.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.21 and the average family size is 2.88.
In the city the population is spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 78.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $25,498, and the median income for a family is $36,855. Males have a median income of $28,333 versus $21,207 for females. The per capita income for the city is $13,574. 18.2% of the population and 11.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 18.2% of those under the age of 18 and 14.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Centerville Tourism Website (http://www.centerville-ia.com/index.php)