Centerville, Ohio Facts for Kids

For other uses, see Centerville, Ohio (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Centerville, Ohio

City

Centerville Historic District

Flag

Seal

Motto(s):

"Progress, Stability"

Location in Montgomery County and the state of Ohio

United States

Founded

1796

Incorporated

1968

Area

• Total

11.03 sq mi (28.58 km²)

• Land

10.97 sq mi (28.43 km²)

• Water

0.06 sq mi (0.15 km²)

Elevation

974 ft (297 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

24,240

• Estimate

(2023)

25,754

• Density

2,208.66/sq mi (852.75/km²)

Time zone

UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC-4 (EDT)

ZIP codes

45440, 45458-45459

Area code(s)

937, 326

FIPS code

39-13190

GNIS feature ID

2393783

Website

The City of Centerville, Ohio

Centerville is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. It's a suburb of Dayton. In 2020, about 24,240 people lived there.

Exploring Centerville's Location
Centerville's Story: A Look at Its History
Who Lives in Centerville? Demographics
- Centerville's Population in 2010
Arts, Culture, and Fun in Centerville
Learning in Centerville: Schools and Library
Famous People From Centerville
Centerville's Sister Cities
Images for kids
See also

Exploring Centerville's Location

Centerville is mostly in Montgomery County. However, a small part of the city is located in Greene County.

Centerville Municipal Building, where the city government works

The city covers about 10.85 square miles (28.10 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

In 2008, Centerville and Washington Township voted on whether to join together. Centerville residents approved the idea, but the township did not.

Centerville's Story: A Look at Its History

How Centerville Began

In 1796, an American explorer named Benjamin Robbins founded Centerville, Ohio. He named it after his hometown in New Jersey. He chose the spot because it was located between two rivers and close to other towns.

Robbins and his two brothers picked land in Centerville. Benjamin chose 160 acres (about 65 hectares) because there were many springs (places where water comes out of the ground).

Building the Early Town

As settlers arrived, they found limestone in Centerville. This was great because it meant they could build stronger homes. Many early log cabins were replaced with sturdy limestone buildings.

On April 6, 1797, Robbins's family arrived from Kentucky. They had spent ten days building a wagon road to get there. They quickly started building houses. Benjamin Robbins built a log cabin for his family, but a storm once blew its roof away!

Benjamin's son, Sam, later became the city's first mayor. By 1820, Benjamin had added a second floor to his house and replaced its base with limestone.

Education and Growth

In 1803, one-room schoolhouses were set up in Centerville. These schools taught students from first to sixth grade. Benjamin Robbins passed away on June 3, 1837, and was buried in the Sugar Creek Baptist Cemetery.

In 1900, the U.S. Post Office changed the town's name from "Centreville" to "Centerville." On December 2, 1968, Centerville officially became a city. Later, in 1973, Centerville High School was established.

Who Lives in Centerville? Demographics

Centerville has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how the population has changed:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	274	—
1890	252	−8.0%
1900	290	15.1%
1910	353	21.7%
1920	335	−5.1%
1930	400	19.4%
1940	561	40.3%
1950	827	47.4%
1960	3,490	322.0%
1970	10,333	196.1%
1980	18,886	82.8%
1990	21,082	11.6%
2000	23,024	9.2%
2010	23,999	4.2%
2020	24,240	1.0%
2023 (est.)	25,754	7.3%
Sources:

Centerville's Population in 2010

According to the census from 2010, there were 23,999 people living in Centerville. There were 10,693 households and 6,694 families. The city had about 2,226 people per square mile (859 people per square kilometer).

Most residents (90.2%) were White. Other groups included 4.0% African American, 3.2% Asian, and 0.2% Native American. About 1.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Centerville was 46.9 years old. About 20.1% of residents were under 18. Also, 24.4% were 65 years old or older. The city had slightly more females (53.8%) than males (46.2%).

Arts, Culture, and Fun in Centerville

Centerville is home to the largest collection of old stone houses in Ohio. Many of these historic homes are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Town Hall Theatre is located in downtown Centerville. It's a great place to catch a show.

The Heart of Centerville area has many unique shops, restaurants, and businesses. It's set in a historic part of town with many of those famous stone buildings.

Learning in Centerville: Schools and Library

Main entrance of Centerville High School

Centerville Public Schools are part of the Centerville City School District. The district has a preschool program located in two elementary schools. These schools teach kindergarten and first grade.

The district also has:

Six elementary schools for grades two through five.
Three middle schools for grades six through eight.
One high school and an alternative high school.

Some of the public schools in the district include:

Centerville Primary Village North
Centerville Primary Village South (opened 2007)
Normandy Elementary School (opened 1963)
Stingley Elementary School
Driscoll Elementary School
Weller Elementary
W.O. Cline Elementary School (opened 1955)
John Hole Elementary School
C.W. Magsig Middle School (opened 1924)
Hadley E. Watts Middle School (opened 1969)
Tower Heights Middle School
Centerville School of Possibilities
Centerville High School (opened 1973)

There are also private schools in the city. These include a Catholic K-8 school and a Seventh-day Adventist school for students from preschool to grade 12.

The Washington-Centerville Public Library offers many resources. Residents can find over 380,000 books, audiobooks, movies, and music. The library also provides educational programs and help with research for all ages.