El Centro, CA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·California·El Centro

Imperial County · El Centro · population 44,230

Investors
El Centro, CA
Image: Wikipedia · El Centro, California
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
75
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where El Centro stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 8.2% in the last year. averaging 7.1% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $388,578
1-year +8.2%
5-yr CAGR +7.1%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.1%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$389k$179k$254k$329k$404k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
82/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
86 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
75 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
44 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
76 · w10%
Long thesis

El Centro has averaged 7.1% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+8.2% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

El Centro's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About El Centro

El Centro is a city in Imperial County, California, with an estimated population of 44,230. The median home value in El Centro is $388,578 as of 2026-04, up 8.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. The composite momentum score is 75 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 8.2% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Healthy 5-year run: +7.1% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About El Centro (Wikipedia)

El Centro is a city in and the county seat of Imperial County, California, United States. El Centro is the most populous city in the Imperial Valley, the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County. El Centro is also the most populous U.S. city to lie entirely below sea level. The city, located in southeastern California, is 113 miles (182 km) from San Diego and less than 20 miles (32 km) from the Mexican city of Mexicali.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Imperial County right now.

NWS active alerts (CA)California Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Imperial County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like El Centro

Calexico, CA75 · RisingCarpinteria, CA74 · RisingImperial, CA84 · HotMendota, CA72 · Rising

Run the numbers for El Centro

ToolCan I afford El Centro?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a El Centro rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare El Centro to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolEl Centro cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
60° / 41°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
258
~71% of year
Annual precip
22″ rain
8″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
Very high
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current El Centro listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the El Centro area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
65%
Moderate climate
Median household income
$91,500
California state median
Top industries (state-level)
TechEntertainmentAgriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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