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Living in
El Centro.
About
Life in El Centro
If you're considering El Centro, know that you're looking at a working desert city with strong cross-border ties and a genuine agricultural economy, not a retirement destination. Cost of living is reasonable—median home values around $323,000 and rent averaging $1,052 monthly—but employment can be inconsistent due to seasonal farming cycles and a baseline unemployment rate around 15.1%. Government jobs (including nearby federal prisons and Border Patrol) and retail provide stability, though many residents also work in Mexicali and commute across the border.
El Centro at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.6%
Foreign-Born
29.6%
Broadband Internet
93.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics29.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in El Centro: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In El Centro, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (95.3%), and 75.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
30.3%
of residents
65 and Older
14.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.7%
of households
Married Couples
46.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.40
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 48% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in El Centro
In El Centro, rent runs 48% below the CA average, and home values are 56% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,567
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $391,767 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 9.6 pts above CA average
Unemployment in El Centro
Unemployment in El Centro is 9.6 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What El Centro Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22 min avg
How El Centro residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In El Centro, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Imperial County Airport (IPL)
Regional airport · few flights3,309 passengers boarded in 2025
- 94 mi
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Major hub12.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 25% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in El Centro runs 25% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
246.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
943.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
El Centro Police Department
Natural DisastersExcessive Heat most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Imperial County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Imperial County, which includes El Centro, the most common type is excessive heat, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Flash Flood | $4.7M |
| 2024 | 9 | Excessive Heat | $4.1M |
| 2023 | 22 | High Wind | $30.3M |
| 2022 | 29 | Flash Flood | $589,500 |
| 2021 | 20 | Excessive Heat | $2.2M |
| 2020 | 16 | Excessive Heat | $64,000 |
| 2019 | 16 | Excessive Heat | $56,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Excessive Heat | $22,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
222 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Imperial County, county-wide
Air Quality64 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Imperial County, which includes El Centro, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
64
Good Days
101
per year
Moderate Days
220
per year
Unhealthy Days
10
per year
Imperial County, county-wide
Climate106°F summers, 44°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
El Centro has hot summers (avg high 106°F) and mild winters (avg low 44°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
87°/57°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
106°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
91°/62°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
72°/44°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
2.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
180
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
13
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°F | 43°F | 0.39" |
| Feb | 74°F | 47°F | 0.43" |
| Mar | 80°F | 52°F | 0.29" |
| Apr | 86°F | 57°F | 0.07" |
| May | 94°F | 63°F | 0.04" |
| Jun | 103°F | 71°F | 0.00" |
| Jul | 107°F | 78°F | 0.08" |
| Aug | 107°F | 79°F | 0.23" |
| Sep | 102°F | 73°F | 0.25" |
| Oct | 92°F | 62°F | 0.21" |
| Nov | 79°F | 51°F | 0.17" |
| Dec | 70°F | 43°F | 0.37" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in El Centro
El Centro has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
El Centro Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12 mi away · Brawley
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education21.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in El Centro
El Centro's student/teacher ratio is 21.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 14.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
21
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
14.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
21.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Joshua Tree National Park, 80 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for El Centro
El Centro has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Joshua Tree National Park (80 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Joshua Tree National Park
National Park
80 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in El Centro
El Centro Public Library
1198 N. Imperial Ave., El Centro
Imperial County Law Library
939 Main St., El Centro
Community Center Branch Library
375 S. First St., El Centro
Cities Near El Centro
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to El Centro?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
El Centro FAQ
Is El Centro, California affordable?⌄
El Centro's median rent is $1,052/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $53,082/year. Median home value is $323,100.
Is El Centro, California safe?⌄
El Centro's violent crime rate was 247 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 944 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in El Centro, California?⌄
El Centro has an unemployment rate of 15.1%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in El Centro, California?⌄
The cost of living in El Centro is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,052/month and median household income is $53,082/year. The median home value is $323,100. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in El Centro, California?⌄
The average commute in El Centro is 22 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from