El Centro, CA

Census Place

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2021 Population

44,322

1% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

31.1

2.51% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

23.7%

2.12% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$49,244

3.96% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$221,500

5.43% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, El Centro, CA had a population of 44.3k people with a median age of 31.1 and a median household income of $49,244. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of El Centro, CA grew from 43,881 to 44,322, a 1% increase and its median household income grew from $47,366 to $49,244, a 3.96% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in El Centro, CA are Other (Hispanic) (47.4%), White (Hispanic) (24.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (15.4%), White (Non-Hispanic) (7.25%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.53%).

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.

86.3% of the residents in El Centro, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in El Centro, CA are CET-El Centro (134 degrees awarded in 2021).

In 2021, the median property value in El Centro, CA was $221,500, and the homeownership rate was 48.7%.

Most people in El Centro, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.7 minutes. The average car ownership in El Centro, CA was 2 cars per household.

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

Population & Diversity

El Centro, CA is home to a population of 44.3k people, from which 86.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 27.6% of El Centro, CA residents were born outside of the country (12.2k people).

In 2021, there were 1.93 times more Other (Hispanic) residents (21k people) in El Centro, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 10.9k White (Hispanic) and 6.81k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Citizenship

86.3%

2021 Citizenship

85.9%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 86.3% of El Centro, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in El Centro, CA was 85.9%, 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)
21k ± 1.62k
White (Hispanic)
10.9k ± 1.37k
Two+ (Hispanic)
6.81k ± 1.23k

88.6%

Hispanic Population

39.3k people

88.6% of the people in El Centro, CA are hispanic (39.3k people).

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

Foreign-Born Population

27.6%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

12.2k people

27.9%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

12.2k people

As of 2021, 27.6% of El Centro, CA residents (12.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in El Centro, CA was 27.9%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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-)
479 ± 239
Vietnam
335 ± 114
Gulf War (1990s)
264 ± 147

El Centro, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.43 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of El Centro, CA employs 16k people. The largest industries in El Centro, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,110 people), Retail Trade (2,092 people), and Public Administration (1,969 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($99,167), Public Administration ($70,053), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($66,100).

Employment

Occupations

16k

2021 Value

± 1,071

1.75%

1 Year growth

± 9.32%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in El Centro, CA grew at a rate of 1.75%, from 15.7k employees to 16k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in El Centro, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,543 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,527 people), and Healthcare Support Occupations (1,411 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

16k

2021 Value

± 1,071

1.75%

1 Year growth

± 9.32%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in El Centro, CA grew at a rate of 1.75%, from 15.7k employees to 16k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in El Centro, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,110 people), Retail Trade (2,092 people), and Public Administration (1,969 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

$36,960

Median earning men ± $5,855

$23,038

Median earning women ± $2,355

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($75,637), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($73,906), and Public Administration ($72,412).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($55,739), Construction ($48,750), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($42,031).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in California. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $405B, followed by Mixed freight ($159B) and Pharmaceuticals ($155B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.21T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

109% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.21T. This is expected to increase 109% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$84.4B
Arizona
$44.8B
Ohio
$40.6B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $84.4B, followed by Arizona with $44.8B and Ohio and $40.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

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%).

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 18, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla 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 2021, universities in El Centro, CA awarded 134 degrees. The student population of El Centro, CA in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 118 male students and 41 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in El Centro, CA are Hispanic or Latino (129 and 96.3%), followed by White (5 and 3.73%), Asian (0 and 0%), and Black or African American (0 and 0%).

The largest universities in El Centro, CA by number of degrees awarded are CET-El Centro (134 and 100%).

The most popular majors in El Centro, CA are Welding Technology (45 and 33.6%), Truck, Bus, & Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor (37 and 27.6%), and Building Construction Technology (20 and 14.9%).

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 2021, 1.89% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.12% 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 2021 were Some college (7.01M), High School or Equivalent (6.74M), and Bachelors Degree (6.25M).

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 $221,500 in 2021, which is 0.904 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $210,100 to $221,500, a 5.43% increase. The homeownership rate in El Centro, CA is 48.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in El Centro, CA have an average commute time of 20.7 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 $49,244. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in El Centro, CA was Census Tract 118.01 with a value of $118,407, followed by Census Tract 118.03 and Census Tract 117, with respective values of $87,375 and $58,125.

Property

$221,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$13,012

$5,743

Median Property Taxes

±$539

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

48.7%

Homeownership

2021

66.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 48.7% of the housing units in El Centro, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 49.8%.

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 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in El Centro, CA was Census Tract 118.01 with a value of $118,407, followed by Census Tract 118.03 and Census Tract 117, with respective values of $87,375 and $58,125.

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.

$49,244

Median Household Income

± $3,133

11.8k

Number of Households

± 827

In 2021, the median household income of the 11.8k households in El Centro, CA grew to $49,244 from the previous year's value of $47,366.

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.

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

In 2021, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.12% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2021

Drove Alone (81.9%)
Carpooled (9.82%)
Worked At Home (5.31%)

In 2021, 81.9% of workers in El Centro, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.82%) and those who worked at home (5.31%).

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

20.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in El Centro, CA have a shorter commute time (20.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.42% 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

23.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in El Centro, CA (10.4k out of 43.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 6 - 11, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

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

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

94.7% of the population of El Centro, CA has health coverage, with 32.1% on employee plans, 45.4% on Medicaid, 6.47% on Medicare, 9.84% on non-group plans, and 0.873% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see 4027 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.346% decrease from the previous year (4041 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3108 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 565 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

4,027 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Imperial County, CA

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see an average of 4,027 patients per year. This represents a 0.346% decrease from the previous year (4,041 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 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 33.1% under 18 years, 21.7% between 18 and 34 years, 32.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.32%

Uninsured

32.1%

Employer Coverage

45.4%

Medicaid

6.47%

Medicare

9.84%

Non-Group

0.873%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in El Centro, CA declined by 7.07% from 5.73% to 5.32%.

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.