United States › California › El Centro CITY
El Centro California · 44,382 residents (2025 est.) · 12.1 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
El Centro is a city of 44,240 people in California. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The median age is 31.0, younger than the US median of 38.9. Households here earn about 46% less than in California as a whole. 49% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 30%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 82%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 37,835 in 2000
44,382 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
3,651 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 3,293 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 30.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K 34K 38K 42K 46K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 El Centro Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,082
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,161 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,874 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 22.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.473 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.4%
Education & health services 2.5%
Transportation & warehousing 2.2%
Public administration 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$323,100
+82%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $97,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,052
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $527 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 50.2% in 2000
50.5% rent
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
3.40 people
+14%since 2009
from 2.99 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 35.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 56.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 18.1%(6,837)
Hispanic / Latino 74.6%(28,219)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 8.1%(3,589)
Hispanic / Latino 86.7%(38,336)
from 51 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 62.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 16.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 66.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 20.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 77.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 45.4%(7,601)
Women 15+
Never married 34.8%(5,621)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 48.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 45.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 56.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 36.4%(556)
Gulf War (1990s) 29.3%(447)
Share of the 1,527 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to El Centro Head to head
Compare El Centro to nearby cities EL CENTRO VS
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Income $90,195 +70%
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EL CENTRO VS
Calexico
Income $49,783 −6%
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EL CENTRO VS
Brawley
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Home value $290,700 −10%
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EL CENTRO VS
Somerton
Income $74,015 +39%
Home value $232,600 −28%
Population 14,934 −66%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in El Centro, California? El Centro, California has about 44,240 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in El Centro, California? The typical household in El Centro, California earns about $53,082 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is El Centro, California expensive? In El Centro, California, the median home is worth about $323,100, and the typical rent is about $1,052 a month.
How educated are people in El Centro, California? About 14.9% of adults age 25 and over in El Centro, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in El Centro, California? About 21.6% of people in El Centro, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has El Centro, California grown since 1990? Yes, El Centro, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 12,856 residents, a change of about 41 percent over that period.
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