El Centro, California
Among the top 4% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 10% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 10% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 23% of US places
- top 1% for sunny days
- top 6% for annual snowfall
- bottom 2% for natural disaster risk
El Centro is a mid-size city in California with about 44,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include sunny days, annual snowfall, and walkability. It rates lower on income tax and natural disaster risk.
Official websitecityofelcentro.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Sweltering, dry summers · Cool winters · Dry
comfortable
warm
hot
sweltering
hot
warm
comf.
96%81%clearovercast
Precipitation 0.4 in0.1 in
humid 35%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 43% of US places
Home Value$267k73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$938better than 47% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 27% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.91%better than 56% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden20.62%better than 5% of US places
Unemployment10.2%better than 13% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)56°F95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)92°F100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation2.5 in0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days330 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Summer Humidity57°Fbetter than 81% of US places
Comfortable Days76 daysbetter than 34% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk96.4better than 2% of US places
Air Quality51 AQIbetter than 18% of US places
School Quality75.7better than 72% of US places
Violent Crime964/100kbetter than 37% of US places
Property Crime2087/100kbetter than 18% of US places
Community
Population44,18497th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.213th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6797th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0056th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2511th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)7.1%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.1%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)88.2%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.3%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)0.3%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 78% of US places
Walkability12.7/20better than 94% of US places
Airport Distance95 mibetter than 39% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.0%better than 68% of US places
Amenities Nearby24.90better than 25% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 14% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is El Centro an affordable place to live?
- El Centro is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 43% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in El Centro?
- The median home value in El Centro is $267k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in El Centro?
- Median household income in El Centro is $55k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in El Centro?
- Median gross rent in El Centro is $938 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is El Centro safe?
- El Centro is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 964/100k (better than 37%). Property crime is 2087/100k.
- What is the weather like in El Centro?
- El Centro averages 92°F in July and 56°F in January, with 2.5 in of annual precipitation and about 330 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in El Centro?
- Public-school quality in El Centro is above average, scoring better than 72% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in El Centro?
- The average one-way commute in El Centro is 22 min.
Other places in Imperial County
Places near El Centro
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)