El Centro is a city located in Imperial County California. El Centro has a 2024 population of 43,548. It is also the county seat of Imperial County. El Centro is currently declining at a rate of -0.51% annually and its population has decreased by -2.02% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 44,444 in 2020.
The average household income in El Centro is $73,280 with a poverty rate of 21.14%. The median age in El Centro is 32.2 years: 29.9 years for males, and 35 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of El Centro was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| Other race | 20,315 | 45.98% |
| White | 12,000 | 27.16% |
| Two or more races | 9,230 | 20.89% |
| Black or African American | 1,581 | 3.58% |
| Asian | 657 | 1.49% |
| Native American | 371 | 0.84% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 30 | 0.07% |
Other race
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 12,225 | 3.58 | 50.7 | 49.3 |
| Married | 6,098 | 4.15 | 64.9 | 35.1 |
| Non Family | 2,750 | 1.3 | 36.7 | 63.3 |
| Female | 2,410 | 4.49 | 34.1 | 65.9 |
| Male | 967 | 4.24 | 42.8 | 57.2 |
4.12
Average Family Size
3.58
Average Household Size
50.7%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 3,462 | 13.02% |
| Associates Degree | 2,472 | 9.29% |
| Bachelors Degree | 2,795 | 10.51% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,501 | 5.64% |
| High School Graduate | 6,621 | 24.89% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 3,897 | 14.65% |
| Some College | 5,849 | 21.99% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 22,537 | 15,492 | 3,193 |
| Other Race | 12,015 | 7,461 | 1,259 |
| 2+ Races | 4,991 | 3,927 | 1,012 |
| White | 2,542 | 2,367 | 779 |
| Black | 977 | 880 | 11 |
| Asian | 525 | 495 | 251 |
| Native American | 248 | 139 | 70 |
| Islander | 19 | 19 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 47.81%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $45,797 | $51,964 | $34,514 |
| Graduate Degree | $74,125 | $74,233 | $72,181 |
| High School Graduate | $33,324 | $37,500 | $18,977 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $24,873 | $26,929 | $17,017 |
| Overall | $34,610 | $41,409 | $25,719 |
| Some College | $38,545 | $48,542 | $29,141 |
$34,610
Average Earnings
$41,409
Average Male
$25,719
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
23.78% of El Centro residents speak only English, while 76.22% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 74.95% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 38,740 | 8,311 | 21.45% |
| Other | 20,123 | 4,151 | 20.63% |
| Multiple | 9,215 | 2,468 | 26.78% |
| White | 3,096 | 610 | 19.7% |
| Black | 1,557 | 349 | 22.41% |
| Native | 371 | 212 | 57.14% |
| Asian | 602 | 28 | 4.65% |
| Islander | 19 | 1 | 5.26% |
21.14%
Overall Poverty Rate
17.4%
Male Poverty Rate
24.87%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in El Centro is Native, with 57.14% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in El Centro is Asian, with 4.65% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.23%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.9%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 28.21%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 20.55% |
| High School | 19.53% |
| Some College | 15.49% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 10.52% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 42.92% |
| Male Unemployed | 27.04% |
| Female Employed | 10.24% |
| Male Employed | 8.54% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $56,657 | $77,314 |
| Households | $54,922 | $73,280 |
| Married Families | $67,163 | $89,196 |
| Non Families | $31,719 | $49,591 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
47.4%
Male Marriage Rate
39.7%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
1,703
Number of Veterans
1,583
Male Veterans
120
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| First Gulf War | 637 |
| Second Gulf War | 587 |
| Vietnam | 294 |
| Korea | 110 |
| World War II | 17 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 696 |
| 75+ | 364 |
| 55 to 64 | 275 |
| 18 to 34 | 186 |
| 65 to 74 | 182 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 1,123 | 4.22% |
| White | 814 | 9.44% |
| Other Race | 463 | 3.23% |
| 2+ Races | 262 | 4.4% |
| Black | 140 | 12.38% |
| Asian | 24 | 4.17% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
14.62%
Veteran Poverty Rate
39.11%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
58%
Labor Force Participation
52.1%
Employment Rate
10.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
60.75%
Born in El Centro
70.99%
Native Born
29.01%
Foreign Born
12.77%
Non Citizen
16.24%
Naturalized
70.99% of El Centro residents were born in the United States, with 60.75% having been born in California. 12.77% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 42,428 | -224 | -0.53% |
| 2028 | 42,652 | -224 | -0.52% |
| 2027 | 42,876 | -224 | -0.52% |
| 2026 | 43,100 | -224 | -0.52% |
| 2025 | 43,324 | -224 | -0.51% |
| 2024 | 43,548 | -224 | -0.51% |
| 2023 | 43,772 | -135 | -0.31% |
| 2022 | 43,907 | -400 | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 44,307 | -137 | -0.31% |
| 2020 | 44,444 | 680 | 1.55% |
| 2019 | 43,764 | -254 | -0.58% |
| 2018 | 44,018 | -34 | -0.08% |
| 2017 | 44,052 | 145 | 0.33% |
| 2016 | 43,907 | 179 | 0.41% |
| 2015 | 43,728 | 97 | 0.22% |
| 2014 | 43,631 | 263 | 0.61% |
| 2013 | 43,368 | 168 | 0.39% |
| 2012 | 43,200 | 147 | 0.34% |
| 2011 | 43,053 | 270 | 0.63% |
| 2010 | 42,783 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 37,835 | 6,451 | 20.56% |
| 1990 | 31,384 | 7,388 | 30.79% |
| 1980 | 23,996 | 4,724 | 24.51% |
| 1970 | 19,272 | 2,461 | 14.64% |
| 1960 | 16,811 | 4,221 | 33.53% |
| 1950 | 12,590 | 2,573 | 25.69% |
| 1940 | 10,017 | 1,583 | 18.77% |
| 1930 | 8,434 | 2,970 | 54.36% |
| 1920 | 5,464 | 3,854 | 239.38% |
| 1910 | 1,610 | -40,818 | -96.21% |