El Centro, California Income Statistics
El Centro Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
El Centro Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,409 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,682 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.4% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in El Centro is about 45% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in El Centro (3.8%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in El Centro earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in El Centro, California grew by 44.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,409 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
El Centro has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2018, at 24% lower. The gap has widened from 26% in 2009 to 32% in 2024.
Income Distribution in El Centro
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 3,036 households (25.4% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 31.1% of households in El Centro had an income under $35,000 and 10.9% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., El Centro has a larger share of households earning $35,000 to $49,999 (14.8% vs 10.1%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (4.4% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 810 | 6.8% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 639 | 5.3% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,156 | 9.7% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,115 | 9.3% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,767 | 14.8% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,213 | 18.5% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,211 | 10.1% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 1,739 | 14.6% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 771 | 6.5% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 526 | 4.4% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 11,947 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 1,799 residents (5.9% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 7.4% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 20.5% of El Centro residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 37.4% had some income but less than $25,000, and 10.3% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., El Centro has a larger share of residents with no personal income (20.5% vs 12.8%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (5.9% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 6,238 | 20.5% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 4,082 | 13.4% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,394 | 11.1% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,937 | 12.9% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 3,498 | 11.5% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 3,253 | 10.7% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 2,940 | 9.6% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,354 | 4.4% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 1,799 | 5.9% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 30,495 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 20.5% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in El Centro
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.604 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,090 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,147 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 8.0% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In El Centro, it is 0.604, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 9% more than women's income in El Centro, California. Over a 35-year career, a 9% wage gap accumulates to roughly $138,005 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in El Centro, California has narrowed from about 27% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $7,244 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | El Centro | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.3% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.6% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,737 people are unemployed in El Centro, California.
The average commute time in El Centro is 16 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in El Centro, California has fallen from 16.5% to 10.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 18.2% in 2012 and fell as low as 10.3% in 2023.
El Centro has been far above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024. Even at its closest, in 2023, its rate was 5.1 points higher. The gap has narrowed from 7.8 points in 2011 to 5.1 points in 2024.
El Centro, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How El Centro, CA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | 40,361 | $54,409 #1/2 | 3.8%/yr #2/2 | 10.3% #1/2 | 0.604 #1/2 |
| Calexico, CA | 28,216 | $44,366 | 4.4%/yr | 20.0% | 0.616 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, El Centro, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in El Centro, California.
How Wealthy Is El Centro, California?
El Centro has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $54,409, about 45% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in El Centro, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in El Centro, California rose 44%, from $37,656 to $54,409. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +44% against +64%.
What was the median household income in El Centro in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in El Centro, California was $54,405, up 1% from $53,679 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in El Centro in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in El Centro, California was $46,618. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $54,409.
How strong is the job market in El Centro, California?
Unemployment in El Centro, California is 10.3%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in El Centro, California?
The Gini coefficient in El Centro is 0.604. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in El Centro, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in El Centro, California has narrowed from about 27% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $7,244 since 2009.
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