Brawley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Brawley
El Centro
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs58 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Brawley | El Centro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,283 | 44,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,311 | $53,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,681 | $23,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,373/sq mi | 3,651/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $290,700 | $323,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $988 | $1,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.6% | 49.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 14.4% | 13.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 54 | 16 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.0% | -27.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 108°F | 108°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 2.4" | 2.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 68 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.8 min | 22.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.6 | 31.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.16 | 21.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.0% | 73.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Brawley
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
El Centro
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Brawley, CA · El Centro, CA · How this is calculated: methodology