El Centro
California · Ranked #248 of 373 metros
65Moderate
💡
Housing in El Centro costs 5.51× the median income, above the national average of 4.5×. The median home price is $332K and median rent is $1,022/month. El Centro ranks #248 of 373 metros for affordability.
Median Home Price
🏠$332K
Need $98K income
Median Rent
🔑$1,022
Need $41K income
Building Permits
🔨253
annual
Median Income
💰$60K
Pop: 126,561
Rent Burden
⚠️20.4%
of renters paying >30%
Homeownership
🏡56.0%
Rent Burden
vs. National Average
Key Facts vs. National Average
| Metric | El Centro | National |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.51x | 6.1x |
| Rent Burden | 20.4% | 31.5% |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.0% | 65.5% |
| YoY Rent Change | 0% | +2.8% |
| Mortgage Denial Rate | 0.0% | 13.5% |
| Eviction Rate | 0.0% | 3.6% |
House Price Index (2000–2025)
FHFA All-Transactions HPI
Since 2019: +71.9%Since 2000: +225.4%
HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026)
Section 8 voucher payment standards
Studio$939/mo
1 Bedroom$1,038/mo
2 Bedroom$1,362/mo
3 Bedroom$1,845/mo
4 Bedroom$2,285/mo
Zillow Market Data
Home Value (ZHVI)
$371K
1yr: +6.8%5yr: +41.0%
Rent (ZORI)
$1,620/mo
1yr: +3.6%
Note: ZORI reflects current listing prices and may differ from the Census ACS median rent shown above, which captures what renters actually pay including below-market and subsidized units.
Redfin Market Activity
Median Sale Price
$403K
Active Inventory
180
Days on Market
64
Sold Above List
24.2%
Price Drops
16.7%