Calexico and El Centro receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Calexico
El Centro
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 11%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
53 · Bottom 5%
vs58 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Calexico | El Centro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,585 | 44,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,783 | $53,082 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,600 | $23,590 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,558/sq mi | 3,651/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $313,600 | $323,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,093 | $1,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 49.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 28.4% | 13.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.7% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 16 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.3% | -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 | 76 mi | 68 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 22.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 31.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.99 | 21.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.1% | 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
Calexico
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
El Centro
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Calexico, CA · El Centro, CA · How this is calculated: methodology