United States › California › El Centro CITY · 2010 ACS
El Centro California · 42,598 residents · 12.1 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 42,598 people, El Centro is a city in California. 31% of residents were born outside the United States. Owners hold 49% of the housing stock. The median age is 31.8, younger than the US median of 37.2. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 28% national rate. That trails the California median by roughly 37%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 31.8
US median: 37.2
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 71%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 30.0 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K 34K 38K 42K 46K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 El Centro Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $38,481
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,161 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $13,874 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 22.8% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.1%
Education & health services 2.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.7%
Public administration 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$211,300
+71%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $97,700 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$692
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $527 in 2000
US average: $853
from 50.2% in 2000
50.5% rent
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.99 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 35.9% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 56.6% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 18.1%(6,837)
Hispanic / Latino 74.6%(28,219)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 13.5%(5,758)
Hispanic / Latino 81.6%(34,751)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 62.9% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 5.6% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 79.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
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 Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to El Centro Head to head
Compare El Centro to nearby cities EL CENTRO VS
Imperial
Income $90,195 +134%
Home value $360,900 +71%
Population 22,330 −50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Calexico
Income $49,783 +29%
Home value $313,600 +48%
Population 38,623 −13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Brawley
Income $59,311 +54%
Home value $290,700 +38%
Population 28,008 −37%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Somerton
Income $74,015 +92%
Home value $232,600 +10%
Population 14,934 −66%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in El Centro, California? El Centro, California has about 42,598 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in El Centro, California? The typical household in El Centro, California earns about $38,481 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 $211,300, and the typical rent is about $692 a month.
How educated are people in El Centro, California? About 15.4% 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 20.9% 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 11,214 residents, a change of about 36 percent over that period.
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