El Centro and Lake Havasu City-Kingman 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
Measured values
| Metric | El Centro | Lake Havasu City-Kingman | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 180,202 | 220,517 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,681 | $57,684 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,552 | $35,963 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 43/sq mi | 17/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,600 | $281,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,056 | $1,091 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.8% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 17.6% | 6.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -5.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.1% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.5% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 208 | 900 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.8% | -63.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 108°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 2.4" | 8.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 53.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
El Centro
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Lake Havasu City-Kingman
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: El Centro, CA Metro Area · Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology