El Centro, CA

Census Place

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2022 Population

44,184

0.311% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Laphonza Butler

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

32.2

3.54% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

21.1%

10.7% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$54,922

11.5% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$266,500

20.3% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, El Centro, CA had a population of 44.2k people with a median age of 32.2 and a median household income of $54,922. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of El Centro, CA declined from 44,322 to 44,184, a −0.311% decrease and its median household income grew from $49,244 to $54,922, a 11.5% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in El Centro, CA are Other (Hispanic) (46%), Two+ (Hispanic) (20.7%), White (Hispanic) (20.1%), White (Non-Hispanic) (7.11%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.1%).

None of the households in El Centro, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

87.2% of the residents in El Centro, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in El Centro, CA are CET-El Centro (175 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in El Centro, CA was $266,500, and the homeownership rate was 50.7%.

Most people in El Centro, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.6 minutes. The average car ownership in El Centro, CA was 2 cars per household.

United States California Imperial County, CA El Centro, CA Imperial County--El Centro City PUMA, CA

Population & Diversity

El Centro, CA is home to a population of 44.2k people, from which 87.2% are citizens. As of 2022, 29% of El Centro, CA residents were born outside of the country (12.8k people).

In 2022, there were 2.22 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (20.3k people) in El Centro, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 9.13k Two+ (Hispanic) and 8.86k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

87.2%

2022 Citizenship

86.3%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 87.2% of El Centro, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in El Centro, CA was 86.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in El Centro, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in El Centro, CA

Other (Hispanic)
20.3k ± 1.68k
Two+ (Hispanic)
9.13k ± 1.4k
White (Hispanic)
8.86k ± 1.43k

88.2%

Hispanic Population

39k people

88.2% of the people in El Centro, CA are hispanic (39k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in El Centro, CA as a share of the total population.

Foreign-Born Population

29%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

12.8k people

27.6%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

12.2k people

As of 2022, 29% of El Centro, CA residents (12.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in El Centro, CA was 27.6%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in El Centro, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
587 ± 274
Gulf War (1990s)
303 ± 195
Vietnam
279 ± 120

El Centro, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.94 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of El Centro, CA employs 16.7k people. The largest industries in El Centro, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,071 people), Retail Trade (2,110 people), and Public Administration (1,799 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($79,744), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($73,500), and Utilities ($62,074).

Employment

Occupations

16.7k

2022 Value

± 1,124

4.54%

1 Year growth

± 9.07%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in El Centro, CA grew at a rate of 4.54%, from 16k employees to 16.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in El Centro, CA, are Sales & Related Occupations (1,739 people), Healthcare Support Occupations (1,374 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,253 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of El Centro, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

16.7k

2022 Value

± 1,124

4.54%

1 Year growth

± 9.07%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in El Centro, CA grew at a rate of 4.54%, from 16k employees to 16.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in El Centro, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,071 people), Retail Trade (2,110 people), and Public Administration (1,799 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of El Centro, CA, though some of these residents may live in El Centro, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$38,485

Median earning men ± $4,344

$25,725

Median earning women ± $2,150

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($83,953), Information ($83,056), and Manufacturing ($54,324).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Public Administration ($61,012), Construction ($50,785), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($42,557).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for El Centro, CA. Showing the available data for California.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (63.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (34.3%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.07%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in California went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 63.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (34.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.07%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in California for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Laphonza Butler

Senator from California

Assumed office on October 3, 2023
Appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in El Centro, CA awarded 175 degrees. The student population of El Centro, CA in 2022 is skewed towards men, with 114 male students and 34 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in El Centro, CA are Hispanic or Latino (172 and 98.3%), followed by Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (1 and 0.571%), Two or More Races (1 and 0.571%), and White (1 and 0.571%).

The largest universities in El Centro, CA by number of degrees awarded are CET-El Centro (175 and 100%).

The most popular majors in El Centro, CA are Truck, Bus, & Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor (59 and 33.7%), Welding Technology (49 and 28%), and Building Construction Technology (38 and 21.7%).

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in El Centro, CA was $266,500 in 2022, which is 0.945 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $221,500 to $266,500, a 20.3% increase. The homeownership rate in El Centro, CA is 50.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in El Centro, CA have an average commute time of 21.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in El Centro, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in El Centro, CA is $54,922. In 2022, the place with the highest median household income in El Centro, CA was Census Tract 118.01 with a value of $121,767, followed by Census Tract 118.03 and Census Tract 117, with respective values of $91,919 and $64,474.

Property

$266,500

Median Property Value 2022

±$9,851

$6,200

Median Property Taxes

±$594

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In El Centro, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in El Centro, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

50.7%

Homeownership

2022

68.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 50.7% of the housing units in El Centro, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 48.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in El Centro, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 118.01
Census Tract 118.03
Census Tract 117

In 2022, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in El Centro, CA was Census Tract 118.01 with a value of $121,767, followed by Census Tract 118.03 and Census Tract 117, with respective values of $91,919 and $64,474.

The following map shows all of the places in El Centro, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$54,922

Median Household Income

± $3,677

12.2k

Number of Households

± 863

In 2022, the median household income of the 12.2k households in El Centro, CA grew to $54,922 from the previous year's value of $49,244.

The following chart displays the households in El Centro, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for El Centro, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (79.1%)
Carpooled (12.7%)
Worked At Home (4.39%)

In 2022, 79.1% of workers in El Centro, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.7%) and those who worked at home (4.39%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in El Centro, CA have a shorter commute time (21.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 3.54% of the workforce in El Centro, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in El Centro, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in El Centro, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in El Centro, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

21.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in El Centro, CA (9.27k out of 43.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 6 - 11, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in El Centro, CA is Hispanic, followed by Other and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.3% of the population of El Centro, CA has health coverage, with 30.8% on employee plans, 46.1% on Medicaid, 6.28% on Medicare, 10% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see 3919 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.68% decrease from the previous year (4027 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3101 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 562 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Imperial County, CA.

3,919 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Imperial County, CA

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see an average of 3,919 patients per year. This represents a 2.68% decrease from the previous year (4,027 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Imperial County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.7% under 18 years, 22.1% between 18 and 34 years, 32.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.71%

Uninsured

30.8%

Employer Coverage

46.1%

Medicaid

6.28%

Medicare

10%

Non-Group

1.02%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in El Centro, CA grew by 7.21% from 5.32% to 5.71%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in El Centro, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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