Monroe Center, Illinois  Monroe Center is a village in Ogle County, Illinois, United States, southeast of Rockford in Monroe Township. It is located on the Canadian Pacific Railway and on Illinois Route 72, about .6 mile east of Exit 111 from Interstate 39. The village had a population of 471 at the 2010 census. The controversial Great Lakes Basin Railroad is planned to run through Monroe Center. Monroe Center is on a hill and has many fields surrounding it. The Kilbuck Creek along with the retainment ponds and the lakes off 39 are the only bodies of water in the area. According to the 2010 census, Monroe Center has a total area of , all land.