Brawley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
El Centro
Brawley
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 7%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
43 · Bottom 37%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 18%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Access
58 · Bottom 6%
vs64 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 9%
vs36 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | El Centro | Brawley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,240 | 27,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,082 | $59,311 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,590 | $26,681 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,651/sq mi | 3,373/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $323,100 | $290,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,052 | $988 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.5% | 51.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 13.8% | 14.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 15.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.6% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.3% | -10.0% | 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 | 68 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.0 | 30.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.04 | 22.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.9% | 78.0% | 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
El Centro
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Brawley
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: El Centro, CA · Brawley, CA · How this is calculated: methodology