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El Centro, CA

Full City Profile · California · Imperial County County

2.5 /5.0
C+ Fair
44,186 Population 3,646/sq mi density
$56,093 Median Income $23,781 per capita
$291,100 Home Value $376,990 Zillow
$992 Median Rent 30.4% income on rent
74°F Avg Temperature 330 sunny days/yr
323 Violent Crime/100K 2,673 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.5 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.0 / 5.0
$56,093 median income, 5.9% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.7 / 5.0
$291,100 home value, $992/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
323 violent crimes/100K
C
Education
2.3 / 5.0
15.8% bachelor's degree or higher

El Centro, CA

At a Glance

Median Income
$56,093
25% below
$23,781 per capita
Home Value
$291,100
3% above
Zillow: $376,990
Median Rent
$992/mo
15% below
30.4% of income on rent
Violent Crime
323/100K
15% below
2,673/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
15.8%
53% below
73.5% high school+
Unemployment
5.9%
64% above
17.2% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
35.2%
10% above
13.1% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
74°F
330 sunny days/yr

How El Centro Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows El Centro's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
75%
Home Value
103%
Rent
85%
Poverty
139%
Bachelor's
47%
Unemployment
164%
Crime
85%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is El Centro a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.5 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

El Centro residents earn a median household income of $56,093 , which is 25% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $23,781. The unemployment rate stands at 5.9% (64% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 17.2% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 9,795 business establishments, including 280 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in El Centro is $291,100 , 3% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $376,990. Median rent is $992/month, with 30.4% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 110.7 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1982.

Safety & Crime

El Centro reports 323 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 15% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 2,673/100K. The murder rate is 6.8/100K.

Education

15.8% of adults in El Centro hold a bachelor's degree or higher (53% below the national average). 73.5% have completed high school. Local schools score 4.1/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

El Centro has an average annual temperature of 74°F (24°C). Winters average 57°F in January while summers reach 93°F in July. The area gets 330 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 2.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 48.

Data Overview

People

Population44,186
Median Age31.6 yrs
Density3,646/mi²
Male / Female50% / 51%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans5.0%

Economy

B
Median Income$56,093
Per Capita$23,781
Unemployment5.9%
Poverty17.2%
County GDP$12,907M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,051

Housing

B+
Home Value$291,100
Rent$992
Ownership50.0%
Zillow$376,990
Housing Units13,958
Rent Burden30.4%

Crime

F
Violent323/100K
Property2,673/100K
Murder6.8/100K
Assault203/100K
Burglary515/100K

Health

Obesity35.2%
Diabetes14.5%
Smoking13.1%
Premature Death8,703/100K

Climate

Avg Temp74°F
Sunny Days330/yr
Rain2.5 in/yr
AQI48 (Good)
Elevation-36 ft

Education

C
Bachelor's+15.8%
High School+73.5%
Graduate+5.6%
School Score4.1/10

Community

2024 VoteR 49% / D 48%
Commute23 min
Broadband92.6%
Internet Speed81 Mbps
EV Stations11
Libraries12

Did You Know?

El Centro was founded in 1905.
The median home in El Centro was built in 1982.
The nearest airport is Calexico International (9 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.459 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
16.3% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 280 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 36 fatal vehicle crashes.