El Centro, CA Population Statistics: Density Map Data
Analyze population trends, housing costs, and the local economy by exploring Map AI.
Area Snapshot Statistics
Key statistics on population, economy, housing, and commuting compared to state and national averages. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
Population
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,821 | 38,909,900 | 334,821,731 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3281.6 | 237.3 | 85.8 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.47% | 0.19% | 0.57% |
| Median age | 33.0 | 35.4 | 37.1 |
| Households | 12,006 | 13,415,389 | 128,459,983 |
Population in El Centro grew by 6.9% from 2009 to 2023, reaching 40,622 in 2023.
Population Growth 2009–2023
Race & Ethnicity
Economy
El Centro has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,411 | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.29% | 6.01% | 5.07% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.3% | 6.4% | 5.2% |
The median household income in El Centro is about 44% lower than in California.
Housing
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $297,574 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median rent | $977 | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Homeownership rate | 48.3% | 55.8% | 65.1% |
The median home price in El Centro is about 25.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $977 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in El Centro spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 134 hours, about 5.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.1 | 23.6 | 22.5 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.1 | 47.2 | 44.9 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 134 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,150 | $6,099 | $5,803 |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 15.5% | 13.4% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 7,050 | 16,509 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,608 | 2,449 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in El Centro is 16 minutes, shorter than the 24 minutes in California.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
El Centro has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 33.0% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.35 | 2.85 | 2.54 |
Health
El Centro has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 24.4% | 16.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 14.2% | 13.9% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about El Centro, California.
What is the population of El Centro, California?
The population of El Centro, California is 39,821, compared to the U.S. total of 334,821,731.
What is the population density of El Centro, California?
The population density of El Centro, California is 3281.6 people per square mile, compared to the U.S. average of 85.8 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in El Centro, California?
The median household income in El Centro, California is $54,411, compared to the U.S. median of $78,145.
What is the median home price in El Centro, California?
The median home price in El Centro, California is $297,574, compared to the U.S. median of $242,182.
What is the unemployment rate in El Centro, California?
The unemployment rate in El Centro, California is 10.3%, compared to the U.S. average of 5.2%.