Imperial 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
Imperial
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 7%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
43 · Bottom 37%
vs39 · Bottom 31%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 18%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
58 · Bottom 6%
vs60 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 9%
vs47 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | El Centro | Imperial | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,240 | 21,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,082 | $90,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,590 | $29,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,651/sq mi | 3,398/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $323,100 | $360,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,052 | $1,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.5% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 13.8% | 17.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 22.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.6% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.3% | -37.5% | 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 | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.0 | 31.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.04 | 22.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.9% | 56.1% | 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.
Imperial
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: El Centro, CA · Imperial, CA · How this is calculated: methodology