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El Centro vs Imperial

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+33.3 pts in Imperial) and household income (+70% in Imperial).

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El Centro, CAHomes around $395KCalifornia · 44,240 people
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Imperial, CAHomes around $442KCalifornia · 21,430 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

El CentroHomes around $395K
Housing$395K typical home48% below the CA typical home Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Schools#190 for schools in CAof 574 towns All about El Centro →
ImperialHomes around $442K
Housing$442K typical home42% below the CA typical home Health52% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SafetySafer than 89%of U.S. towns we grade All about Imperial →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+33.3 pts
Imperial has grown faster since 2010
Imperial +37.3%El Centro +4%
Household income+70%
Households in Imperial earn more
Imperial $90,195El Centro $53,082
Property tax bill+40%
Tax bills are bigger in Imperial
Imperial $3,605El Centro $2,567
Work in town+21.5 pts
More of El Centro’s workers stay in town
El Centro 34%Imperial 12.5%
Homeowners+20 pts renters
El Centro has more renters
Imperial 69.5%El Centro 49.5%
Jobs per worker2.1×
El Centro is more of a job hub
El Centro 1.05Imperial 0.51
★ What stands out · Report cards

Imperial places higher on 15 of 24 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C+El CentroSafer than 38% of U.S. towns AImperialSafer than 89% of U.S. towns
Schools
BEl CentroBetter than 61% of districts in the state B−ImperialBetter than 50% of districts in the state
Health
C−El CentroHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns B−ImperialHealthier than 48% of U.S. towns
8El Centro
15Imperial

Lists won, of 24 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fastest growingGrowth · 816 towns #434#23 Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #305#124 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #777#465 SafestSafety · 411 towns #148#1 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #530#329 HealthiestHealth · 844 towns #702#550 Most activeHealth · 844 towns #755#603 Best schoolsSchools · 574 towns #190#292

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of El Centro’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $360 more a month in Imperial

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

El Centro$2,330/mo
Typical home $395K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $1,052/mo · Housing →
Imperial$2,690/mo
Typical home $442K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $1,255/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,300 a year, between Imperial and El Centro.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

El Centro and Imperial share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

El CentroImperialEl CentroImperial
El Centro ↔ Imperial3.7 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
2,419 Imperial residents work in El Centro (27.4% of its workers)
954 El Centro residents work in Imperial (5.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Imperial →
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
El CentroImperial
Snow a year0″0″
January low43°F43°F
July high107°F107°F
Growing season (days)363d363d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th87th
Outdoors & history
El CentroImperial
Trails2 mi2 mi
Conserved land1.5%1%
Settled19051904
National Register places1—
Archive photos68
Famous people born here—6
Community
El CentroImperial
Library hours a week48 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

El CentroImperial
People
Population 44,240Highest 21,430Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4%Lowest CA: +6.1% +37.3%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 31±1.2Lowest 18% below CA 31.3±3.4Highest 17% below CA
Imperial and El Centro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.3%±2.7Lowest CA: 22% 34.8%±5Highest CA: 22%
Imperial and El Centro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14%±1.4Highest CA: 15.7% 9.5%±1.9Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.9%Lowest CA: 37.1% 22.7%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 9.4%±2.4Highest CA: 7.6%
Imperial and El Centro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $53,082±$6kLowest 46% below CA $90,195±$8kHighest 9% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $323,100±$12kLowest 56% below CA $360,900±$14kHighest 51% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,052±$63Lowest 48% below CA $1,255±$316Highest 38% below CA
Imperial and El Centro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,567Lowest 50% below CA $3,605Highest 30% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54%±6Highest CA: 55.3% 44.5%±12.1Lowest CA: 55.3%
El Centro and Imperial are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 21.6%Highest CA: 12% 12.5%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 49.5%Lowest CA: 55.9% 69.5%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Lowest 6 yrs newer than CA 2002Highest 26 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 23% below CA 19 minLowest 35% below CA
Work from home 5.9%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 7.5%±3.7Highest CA: 17.2%
Imperial and El Centro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 34%Highest 12.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.05Highest 0.51Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Calexico (7%)El Centro (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 5% work in Imperial27% work in El Centro
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.5%Highest 1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.5 miLowest 1.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 16Highest 6Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 68.2Lowest 86.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #190 of 574 in CA#292 of 574 in CA
School district Imperial Valley ROP · Ballington Academy for the Arts and Sciences DistrictImperial Unified
High school in town Central Union HighImperial High
Students per teacherat that high school 20.9Lowest 23.1Highest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

El Centro neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

New to El Centro

1 neighbor in El Centro can answer.

Imperial neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Imperial’s Town Square.

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Towns like El Centro

+ Compare
Porterville63,157 people · $286K homes
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Atwater32,162 people · $363K homes
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Brawley27,283 people · $291K homes
+ Compare
Calexico38,585 people · $314K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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