In 2010, the population of Center Strafford City, New Hampshire was 181,045. Of that number, 88.1% were white and 11.6% were black. Of that total, 8.4% of the city's residents were Hispanic, including those of Puerto Rican descent, which accounted for 20.9% of the total population. While these numbers have fluctuated slightly over the years, they are still fairly consistent and represent the diversity of the town's citizens.
After decades of neglect, the downtown area of Center Strafford has been revitalized. In 1997, a Convention Center was built next to the DCU Center arena in downtown Center Strafford. The historic Franklin Square Theater was renovated and opened to the public. Hanover Insurance also helped fund the multimillion dollar renovation of the former Franklin Square Theater. In 2000, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences opened a new campus in downtown Center Strafford. In 2007, WPI opened its first facility in the town's Gateway Park Center.
The public schools in Center Strafford, Massachusetts, educate more than 25,000 students. There are 34 elementary schools, four middle schools, seven high school campuses, and a few learning centers. The district also administers an adult education component called Night Life, and operates a public-access television cable TV station. The Oread Institute closed in 1934. Today, there are nine institutes of higher learning in Center Strafford.