United States › El Centro METRO AREA · 2020 ACS
El Centro Metro El Centro, CA · 1 counties · 179,702 residents · 4,176 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
El Centro is home to 179,702 people. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. The foreign-born share is 30%. The median age is 34.6, younger than the US median of 38.8. 22.5% of people across the metro live below the federal poverty line. 37,341 more people live here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 34.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 31.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
102K 124K 145K 166K 188K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 El Centro Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $46,222
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,870 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $13,239 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 22.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 22.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Education & health services 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Public administration 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$206,700
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $93,800 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$847
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $504 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 58.3% in 2000
45.0% rent
3.73 people
+15%since 2009
from 3.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 9.4%(16,813)
Hispanic / Latino 85.2%(153,027)
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
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 1 more asian origin group with data Ancestry
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 59.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 16.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 54.9% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
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 from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 23.5%(1,353)
Gulf War (1990s) 24.6%(1,414)
Share of the 5,749 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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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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in El Centro, CA? El Centro, CA has about 179,702 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in El Centro, CA? The typical household in El Centro, CA earns about $46,222 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 $206,700, and the typical rent is about $847 a month.
How educated are people in El Centro, CA? About 15.4% 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 22.5% 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 70,399 residents, a change of about 64 percent over that period.
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