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METRO AREA

El Centro Metro

El Centro, CA · 1 counties · 181,411 residents (2025 est.) · 4,175.528 sq mi
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#6Most foreign-born residentsof 92531.6%
The short version

El Centro has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $57,681. Population has grown 27% since 2000. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $309,600. At a median age of 33.2, residents skew younger than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 33.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 81%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
180,202
+27%since 2000
from 142,361 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
43 / sq mi
+27%since 2000
from 34 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
33.2
+7%since 2000
from 31.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:181,411 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
102K124K145K166K188K1990201020202024El Centro
2024180K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57.1%(12,744)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 97.3%(13,065)
US avg: 6%
10 to 149.1%(16,437)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.8%(14,126)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(12,411)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.5%(26,093)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(23,056)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.8%(19,520)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410%(18,049)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 748%(14,411)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.1%(7,320)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.6%(2,970)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$57,681
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,870 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$23,552
+78%since 2000
from $13,239 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
39.2%
+16.2 ptssince 2009
from 22.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
19.5%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 22.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.466
−1%since 2010
from 0.469 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing9.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction9.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Finance & insurance7.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade4.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade4.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services3.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services2.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Public administration1.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food0.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$309,600
+81%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $93,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,056
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
56.8%
−1.5 ptssince 2000
from 58.3% in 2000
43.2% rent
Vacancy rate
14.5%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
27.3%
−10.4 ptssince 2009
from 37.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.4
−2%since 2009
from 5.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
31
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in El Centro on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic20.2%(28,768)
Black3.6%(5,148)
Hispanic / Latino72.2%(102,817)
Asian1.7%(2,446)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic9.1%(16,413)
Black2%(3,523)
Hispanic / Latino86%(154,886)
Asian1.3%(2,260)
Other1.7%(3,120)
Diversity Score
32
−36%since 2009
from 49 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
38
−1%since 2020
from 39 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican82.9%(149,370)
Central American0.9%(1,647)
Salvadoran0.5%(872)
Spaniard0.4%(765)
Guatemalan0.2%(450)
Puerto Rican0.2%(434)
Nicaraguan0.1%(192)
Colombian0.1%(165)
Dominican0.1%(138)
Cuban0.1%(121)
Argentine0%(83)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0%(81)
Peruvian0%(61)
Chilean0%(17)
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(859)
Chinese0.3%(516)
Japanese0.3%(458)
Korean0.2%(404)
Cambodian0.1%(138)
Asian Indian0.1%(110)
Taiwanese0%(37)
Hmong0%(36)
Laotian0%(15)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Thai0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.3%(601)
Fijian0%(86)
Chamorro0%(51)
Tongan0%(14)
Ancestry
English2.1%(3,765)
Irish1.7%(3,134)
German1.7%(3,125)
American1.5%(2,624)
Italian0.7%(1,304)
French0.3%(555)
Scottish0.2%(445)
Norwegian0.2%(385)
West Indian0.2%(327)
Portuguese0.2%(300)
Jamaican0.2%(292)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.2%(279)
Dutch0.1%(265)
Swedish0.1%(215)
Polish0.1%(212)
British0.1%(189)
Arab0.1%(143)
Hungarian0.1%(132)
Canadian0.1%(102)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(97)
Czech0%(87)
Danish0%(86)
Welsh0%(79)
Slovak0%(60)
Ghanaian0%(50)
Ukrainian0%(47)
Ethiopian0%(45)
Nigerian0%(45)
Armenian0%(35)
Russian0%(34)
Greek0%(32)
Jordanian0%(30)
Egyptian0%(26)
Slovene0%(25)
Lebanese0%(18)
Croatian0%(13)
Iranian0%(13)
Haitian0%(13)
Belgian0%(11)
Finnish0%(10)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.1%
+5.7 ptssince 2000
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
71.5%
+12.5 ptssince 2000
from 59.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
4.5%
+0.8 ptssince 2000
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.1 min
+63%since 2000
from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.2%
+3.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.1%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
12.5%
−3.9 ptssince 2011
from 16.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
53.0%
−1.8 ptssince 2011
from 54.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
18.4%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
25.4%
−31.6 ptssince 2009
from 57.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
51.4%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Female
48.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Foreign born
31.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.4%
−48.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2012
from 13.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.0%
−72.7 ptssince 2013
from 78.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.1%
+20.3 ptssince 2017
from 69.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
24.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 24.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
74.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 73.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married44.5%(31,702)
Married46.6%(33,149)
Widowed2.1%(1,507)
Divorced6.8%(4,817)
Women 15+
Never married36.4%(24,311)
Married43.9%(29,310)
Widowed9.3%(6,224)
Divorced10.4%(6,936)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro

Largest cities

El CentroCENTRAL44,382Calexico38,623Brawley28,008Imperial22,330Heber7,312Calipatria6,012Salton City5,988Holtville5,591Westmorland2,015Seeley1,182Niland1,116Desert Shores801Salton Sea Beach453El Centro Naval Air Facility443Bombay Beach356Winterhaven234Ocotillo118Palo Verde75
What's inside

1 component county

Imperial CountyCENTRAL181,411
Drill deeper

Metros similar to El Centro

Greenville
Pop 182,936
Homosassa Springs
Pop 171,666
Jackson
Pop 184,569
Dothan
Pop 156,266
Places similar to El Centro
Head to head

Compare El Centro side by side

EL CENTRO VS
Greenville
Income$58,188+1%
Home value$208,900−33%
Population182,936+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Homosassa Springs
Income$56,546−2%
Home value$245,500−21%
Population171,666−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Jackson
Income$60,896+6%
Home value$187,779−39%
Population184,569+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Dothan
Income$57,746same
Home value$171,459−45%
Population156,266−14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in El Centro, CA?

El Centro, CA has about 180,202 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in El Centro, CA?

The typical household in El Centro, CA earns about $57,681 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is El Centro, CA expensive?

In El Centro, CA, the median home is worth about $309,600, and the typical rent is about $1,056 a month.

How educated are people in El Centro, CA?

About 16.1% of adults age 25 and over in El Centro, CA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in El Centro, CA?

About 19.5% of people in El Centro, CA live below the federal poverty line.

Has El Centro, CA grown since 1990?

Yes, El Centro, CA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 70,899 residents, a change of about 65 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →