United States › California › El Cerrito CITY
El Cerrito California · 5,325 residents · 2.60 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
El Cerrito is a city of 5,325 people in California. That puts it in the top 6% of US cities for household income. 82% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 43 minutes on average. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 22% of adults. The typical home is worth $627,400, having more than tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 104%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 2,047 / sq mi
+16%since 2009
from 1,771 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 5K 5K 5K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 El Cerrito Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $108,882
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,190 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,466 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 51.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.393 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4%
Public administration 3.2%
Education & health services 2.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.1%
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$627,400
+104%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $168,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,787
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $690 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 82.7% in 2000
18.3% rent
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.58 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 39.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 6.4 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 56.7%(2,601)
Hispanic / Latino 37.2%(1,708)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 30.5%(1,624)
Hispanic / Latino 51.9%(2,764)
from 66 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data from 12.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 77.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 26.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 72.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 7.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 25.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 84.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 95.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 97.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 54.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 38.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 25.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 49.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 62.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.2% 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) 29.7%(55)
Gulf War (1990s) 33.5%(62)
Share of the 185 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in El Cerrito, California? El Cerrito, California has about 5,325 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in El Cerrito, California? The typical household in El Cerrito, California earns about $108,882 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is El Cerrito, California expensive? In El Cerrito, California, the median home is worth about $627,400, and the typical rent is about $1,787 a month.
How educated are people in El Cerrito, California? About 21.6% of adults age 25 and over in El Cerrito, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in El Cerrito, California? About 6.9% of people in El Cerrito, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has El Cerrito, California grown since 1990? Yes, El Cerrito, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 835 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.
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