United States › El Centro METRO AREA · 2010 ACS
El Centro Metro El Centro, CA · 1 counties · 174,528 residents · 4,176 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 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 2024 ACS
The short version
With 174,528 people, El Centro is a metro area. 32% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 28% national rate. The median age is 31.9, younger than the US median of 37.2. Owners hold 56% of the housing stock. 21.4% of people across the metro live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 31.9
US median: 37.2
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 31.0 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
102K 124K 145K 166K 188K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 El Centro Age distribution, 2010
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $38,685
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,870 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $13,239 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 22.9% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 22.6% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.8%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Education & health services 3%
Public administration 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$192,600
+62%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $93,800 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$682
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $853
from 58.3% in 2000
44.1% rent
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 3.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 37.7% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 51.6% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 5.5 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 20.2%(28,768)
Hispanic / Latino 72.2%(102,817)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 13.7%(23,927)
Hispanic / Latino 80.4%(140,271)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 59.0% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 44.5%(31,702)
Women 15+
Never married 36.4%(24,311)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 46.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 44.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 55.6% 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) 29.6%(1,316)
Gulf War (1990s) 28.2%(1,254)
Share of the 4,439 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
In this metro
Largest cities El CentroCENTRAL 44,382 Calexico 38,623 Brawley 28,008 Imperial 22,330 Heber 7,312 Calipatria 6,012 Salton City 5,988 Holtville 5,591 Westmorland 2,015 Seeley 1,182 Niland 1,116 Desert Shores 801 Salton Sea Beach 453 El Centro Naval Air Facility 443 Bombay Beach 356 Winterhaven 234 Ocotillo 118 Palo Verde 75 What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to El Centro Head to head
Compare El Centro side by side EL CENTRO VS
Greenville
Income $58,188 +50%
Home value $208,900 +8%
Population 182,936 +1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Homosassa Springs
Income $56,546 +46%
Home value $245,500 +27%
Population 171,666 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Jackson
Income $60,896 +57%
Home value $187,779 −3%
Population 184,569 +2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EL CENTRO VS
Dothan
Income $57,746 +49%
Home value $171,459 −11%
Population 156,266 −14%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in El Centro, CA? El Centro, CA has about 174,528 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in El Centro, CA? The typical household in El Centro, CA earns about $38,685 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 $192,600, and the typical rent is about $682 a month.
How educated are people in El Centro, CA? About 12.2% 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 21.4% 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 65,225 residents, a change of about 60 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 