Similar histology and clinical behavior of both intraventricular central neurocytomas (CNs) and extraventricular neurocytomas (EVNs) may argue against the idea that EVNs were the distinct entity to distinguish from CNs in the 2007 World Health Organization classification. To explore respective characteristics and compare similarities and differences in CNs and EVNs, relevant clinical, radiological, operative and pathological data of 49 patients (35 CNs and 14 EVNs) in the Department of Neurosurgery at our hospital from 2005 to 2012 was reviewed and some comparisons between CNs and EVNs were conducted. The factors affecting posttreatment recurrence of CNs and EVNs were assessed by Cox regression analysis. In comparison, CNs showed a more typical clinical manifestation, and radiological and histopathological features, while EVNs demonstrated more malignant biological behavior, with higher MIB-1 index (p = 0.006), higher rate of atypia (p = 0.042), higher recurrence rate (p = 0.028), and shorter time to recurrence (p = 0.049). Subtotal resection was associated with higher rates of recurrence in both CNs (hazard ratio [HR] 6.16, p = 0.046) and EVNs (HR 5.26, p = 0.045), and atypia was also associated with a higher recurrence rate in CNs (HR 5.03, p = 0.042). CNs were thus easier to diagnose than EVNs, with typical clinical, radiological, and histopathological features, while the latter were more likely to show malignant biological behavior associated with atypia and recurrence. Total surgical resection is the optimal treatment choice for both CNs and EVNs, and patients with either CN or EVN with typical and/or totally resected lesions showed favorable clinical outcomes.