How many people live in the El Centro, CA area?
Updated Mar. 4, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024 there were 181,700 people in the El Centro, CA area. That makes the El Centro, CA metropolitan statistical area the 249th-most populous metro area in the US. It is home to 0.05% of the nation's population.
182K
population of El Centro, CA area (2024)
0.05%
El Centro, CA area share of US population (2024)
Between 2010 and 2024, the population of the El Centro, CA area increased from 174,700 to 181,700—a 4% increase. During that same period, the US population grew 9.9%.
About 181,700 people lived in the El Centro, CA area in 2024.
Population estimates of the El Centro, CA Metro Area, 2010–2024
What are the age demographics of the El Centro, CA area?
About 14.2% of the El Centro, CA area's population in 2024 was aged 65 years or older, lower than the 18% share in the nation overall. Children (under 18) account for 27.9% of the El Centro, CA area population, above the 21.6% population share of children nationwide.
A lower share of the El Centro, CA area population is 65 and older than the US overall.
Population share by age group in El Centro, CA Metro Area and the US overall (2024)
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of the El Centro, CA area?
Hispanic residents make up 86.6% of the El Centro, CA area population, higher than the national share of 20%.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
A higher share of the El Centro, CA area population is Hispanic than the US overall.
Population share by race and ethnicity in El Centro, CA Metro Area and the US overall (2024)
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
