Center Township & Homes for Sale

Center Township is the center square of Marion County. The township office describes its boundaries as 38th Street on the north, Emerson Avenue on the east, Troy Avenue on the south and Belmont Avenue on the west, about 42.7 square miles in all. It’s where Indianapolis began, around Alexander Ralston’s original Mile Square, and with 153,549 residents at the 2020 Census, up from 142,787 in 2010, it’s the most populous of Marion County’s nine townships. That 2020 count was the township’s first census gain since 1960. Nearly all of it is part of the City of Indianapolis, and a small piece of the City of Beech Grove falls inside the township’s southeast corner. For buyers, that means downtown condos and lofts, the historic districts that ring the core, like Mass Ave, Lockerbie Square and the Old Northside, and established neighborhoods on the near east, south, west and north sides, from Fountain Square to Garfield Park.

Living in Center Township

Downtown is the township’s front yard: Monument Circle and the Statehouse, Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse, plus theaters, restaurants and major employers like Eli Lilly and Elevance Health. White River State Park holds the Indianapolis Zoo, Victory Field, the Indiana State Museum and the Eiteljorg Museum, and the 1.5-mile Canal Walk follows the Central Canal through downtown. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail, about eight miles of protected walking and biking paths, links downtown with Mass Ave, Fletcher Place and Fountain Square, and it meets the Monon Trail at 10th Street for a car-free route north. On the near south side, Garfield Park opened in 1873 and is the city’s oldest park, with more than 122 acres plus the Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Garden. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis sits on North Meridian Street, and neighborhood main streets like Mass Ave, Virginia Avenue and Shelby Street keep everyday dining and shopping close to home.

Center Township Home Prices & Real Estate Market

Prices in Center Township swing widely from one neighborhood to the next. Over the six months to early November 2026, median closed sale prices tracked by Resideline were about $125,000 in ZIP 46218, which includes Martindale-Brightwood; $140,000 in 46222 on the near west side; $180,000 to $185,000 in 46201 and 46203 on the near east and near south sides; and about $442,500 in 46202, the near-north ZIP that takes in the Old Northside and Herron-Morton Place. In the downtown core (46204), the median sale in October 2026 was about $306,000 on a small number of sales. ZIP codes don’t follow township lines exactly, so treat these as a guide. Restored homes in the historic districts often sell from the $300s into the $700s and $800s, condos and lofts add another option downtown, and some older homes on the near east, west and north sides still sell for under $100,000. Condition and location move value here street by street.

Schools in Center Township

Nearly all of Center Township is served by Indianapolis Public Schools; the small part inside the City of Beech Grove is served by Beech Grove City Schools. IPS high schools in the township include Arsenal Technical, Crispus Attucks and Shortridge, which host the district’s college and career academies along with George Washington on the west side, and innovation and charter high schools such as Herron High School and Christel House at Manual are here too. Many IPS choice programs and charter schools take applications through Enroll Indy’s common application, so the school a child attends isn’t always set by address alone. Confirm assigned schools and options with IPS for any home you’re considering.

Commute from Center Township to Downtown Indianapolis

For much of Center Township, downtown is either where you live or about 5 to 15 minutes away by car, and I-65 and I-70 wrap around the core. Transit is a real option, too. IndyGo’s Red Line rapid bus runs through downtown and down Virginia Avenue and Shelby Street through Fountain Square, the Purple Line runs from downtown out 38th Street toward Lawrence, and the Blue Line, under construction along Washington Street, is expected to open in 2028. Add the Cultural Trail and the Monon, and many residents can walk or bike to work. The airport is typically about 15 to 25 minutes from downtown.

Neighborhoods in Center Township

Our neighborhood guides inside Center Township:

Work With a Center Township Real Estate Agent

Our team helps buyers and sellers across Center Township, from downtown condos and Mass Ave lofts to restored Victorians in the Old Northside, workers’ cottages in Cottage Home and Fletcher Place, and homes near Garfield Park. Whether you’re weighing historic-district guidelines, comparing near-side neighborhoods or pricing a one-of-a-kind home, we bring local knowledge, full MIBOR MLS access and a proven marketing plan. Call our team at 317-997-7404 or start your search online.

Explore Nearby Areas

• All Indianapolis Neighborhoods & Areas
• Downtown Historic Neighborhoods Guide
• Beech Grove
• Irvington
• Broad Ripple
• Meridian-Kessler
• Perry Township
• Center Grove
• Franklin Township
• Decatur Township
• Pike Township
• Warren Township
• Wayne Township
• Washington Township
• Lawrence Township