El Centro, CA Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 179,319 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — El Centro, CA Metro Area

What is the median household income in El Centro, CA Metro Area?: The median household income in El Centro, CA Metro Area is $56,393 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in El Centro, CA Metro Area?: The poverty rate in El Centro, CA Metro Area is 17.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in El Centro, CA Metro Area?: $279,500 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in El Centro, CA Metro Area?: The median gross rent in El Centro, CA Metro Area is $1,012 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of El Centro, CA Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 16.1% of adults in El Centro, CA Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

179,319

Median Income

$56,393

Median Home Value

$279,500

Poverty Rate

17.0%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

12.6%

Median Age

33.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$8,771 (+18.4%) Home Value: +$83,700 (+42.7%) Poverty Rate: -3.5 pp (-17.1%) Bachelor's+: +0.9 pp (+5.9%) Unemployment: -1.6 pp (-11.3%)

Demographics

Total Population 179,319

Median Age 33.0

Female 48.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 85.6% White (non-Hisp.) 9.4% Black 2.5% Asian 1.5% Two or More 26.2% Other 37.8%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Chinese

0.3%

Filipino

0.3%

Korean

0.3%

Indian

0.2%

Japanese

0.2%

Vietnamese

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

82.7%

Puerto Rican

0.3%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $56,393 ±$2,266

Per Capita Income $79,703

Median Family Income $64,569

Poverty Rate 17.0%

Child Poverty Rate 22.6%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 26.7%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 15.8%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

6.8%

$10–15k

4.8%

$15–25k

12.1%

$25–35k

8.4%

$35–50k

13.0%

$50–75k

15.4%

$75–100k

11.4%

$100–150k

17.1%

$150–200k

5.5%

$200k+

5.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 57,511

Owner-Occupied 56.8%

Renter-Occupied 43.2%

Vacancy Rate 15.1%

Median Home Value $279,500

Median Gross Rent $1,012

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 29.5%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 42.7%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

7.3%

$50–100k

3.0%

$100–200k

6.0%

$200–300k

30.6%

$300–500k

36.1%

$500k–$1M

6.1%

$1M+

1.7%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

11.2%

$500–1k

37.8%

$1–1.5k

33.4%

$1.5–2k

13.3%

$2–2.5k

2.9%

$2.5–3.5k

0.5%

$3.5k+

1.0%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

6.0%

1 vehicle

31.2%

2 vehicles

35.0%

27.8%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

62.3%

Single-fam. att.

2.5%

2–4 units

2.8%

5–19 units

7.4%

20+ units

4.3%

Mobile home

9.0%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

3.4%

1940–1969

3.0%

1970–1999

14.4%

2000–2009

20.1%

2010+

8.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 71.8%

Bachelor's or Higher 16.1%

Graduate Degree 4.6%

Some College / Associate 22.1%

Less Than High School 14.1%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 52.7%

Unemployment Rate 12.6%

Work from Home 6.5%

Self-Employed 6.1%

Government Workers 24.7%

Private For-Profit 68.7%

Industry

Edu/Health

23.8%

Retail

11.7%

Public Admin

10.7%

Agriculture

9.8%

Arts/Entmt.

9.3%

Prof. Services

7.4%

Transportation

6.7%

Construction

5.6%

Manufacturing

4.1%

Finance

3.2%

Wholesale

2.5%

Information

0.8%

Occupation

Food Prep

27.1%

Management

25.4%

Sales

18.8%

Construction

15.3%

Production

13.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 22.0 min

Drove Alone 78.6%

Carpool 9.6%

Public Transit 0.5%

Work from Home 6.5%

Walked 2.8%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 48,844

Avg. Household Size 3.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 49.1%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 21.1%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

7.2%

5–9

7.6%

10–14

8.9%

15–19

7.7%

20–24

6.9%

25–34

14.6%

35–44

12.6%

45–54

10.9%

55–64

5.1%

65–74

5.1%

75–84

7.8%

85+

3.9%

Under 18: 28.5% Working age (18–64): 71.5% 65 and over: 13.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 30.8%

Naturalized Citizen 53.3%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 34.6%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

96.2%

Asia

2.7%

Africa

0.6%

Europe

0.3%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 3.7%

With a Disability 14.8%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 93.2%

Uninsured 6.8%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 88.2%

Has a Computer 93.7%

Same House 1 Year Ago 91.1%

Moved from Abroad 0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023