Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$382,009+4.7% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowBalanced marketMore homes for sale than last year, 14% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$82,812About 1.4× the local median income ($60,477): a stretch for a typical household
Days on market72 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
Next 12 months+3.6%Zillow expects prices to rise slightly
The typical home in El Centro, CA is worth $382,009, up 4.7% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $311,614, so the area is 22.6% overvalued. It is a balanced market: homes take about 72 days to sell, listings are up 13% from a year ago, 14% of listings have had a price cut. Zillow expects prices to rise about 3.6% over the next year. A household needs about $82,812 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $60,477. Typical rent is $1,803 a month. In the latest IRS figures, 984 more people moved out than in.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$382,009
Change in 1 year
+4.7%
Overvalued %
+22.6%
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Fair home value
$311,614
Change in 5 years
+31.7%
Zillow forecast, next 12 months
+3.6%
Home value to income
6.3×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$2,070
Income needed to afford it
$82,812
Property tax rate
0.77%
Rent and investing
Typical rent
$1,803
Price-to-rent ratio
17.7×
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,347
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Gross rental yield
5.66%
Cap rate (estimate)
3.68%
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+12.8%
Days on market
72
Listings with a price cut
14.5%
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Homes for sale
194
Pending sales per 100 listings
36
Asking price per sq ft
$251
People and jobs
Median household income
$60,477
Population change (1 year)
−0.7%
Unemployment rate
12.5%
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Population
181,411
Income adjusted for cost of living
$63,526
Net moves in (IRS)
−984
Cost of living (US = 100)
95.2
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
4.1
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
96.5
Unhealthy air days a year
44
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Flood risk score
94.1
Wildfire risk score
76.0
Walkability (1 to 20)
8.1
Road, rail and air noise
55 dB
Questions people ask
Is El Centro, CA overvalued?
Home prices in El Centro, CA are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $311,614, so the area is 22.6% overvalued.
Is El Centro, CA a buyer's or seller's market?
El Centro, CA is a balanced market: homes take about 72 days to sell, listings are up 13% from a year ago, 14% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in El Centro, CA?
Home values in El Centro, CA are up 4.7% over the last year. Zillow's forecast for the next 12 months is +3.6%.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in El Centro, CA?
A household needs about $82,812 a year to afford the typical home in El Centro, CA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $60,477.