El Centro California Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in El Centro, CA (the El Centro metro area) was $810 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in El Centro was $846 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 El Centro median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for El Centro rental vacancy rates, El Centro rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in El Centro.
Real Gross Rent in El Centro California (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| California Median Gross Rent | $1,614 | +4.33% | +12.08% |
| El Centro, CA Median Gross Rent | $810 | +2.66% | -1.82% |
El Centro, CA Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for El Centro peaked in real terms in 2017 at $853 and is now $43 (5.04%) lower. Average gross rent for El Centro peaked in real terms in 2017 at $849 and is now $3 (0.35%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in El Centro: El Centro CA Median, El Centro CA Average, California Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for El Centro
| Date | US Median |
California Median |
El Centro, CA Median |
El Centro, CA Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $1,614 | $810 | $846 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $1,547 | $789 | $812 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $1,492 | $853 | $849 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $1,440 | $825 | $826 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $1,391 | $831 | $817 |
| 2014 | $986 | $1,339 | $818 | $826 |
| 2013 | $953 | $1,289 | $799 | $810 |
| 2012 | $940 | $1,277 | $772 | $766 |
| 2011 | $941 | $1,268 | $770 | $778 |
| 2010 | $955 | $1,300 | $819 | $811 |
| 2009 | $960 | $1,316 | $752 | $782 |
| 2007 | $927 | $1,266 | $723 | $739 |
| 2005 | $910 | $1,216 | $723 | $740 |
El Centro Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2016 the rental vacancy rate for El Centro California was 6.91% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in El Centro California
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| California | 4.06% | +0.09% | +0.75% |
| El Centro, CA | — | — | — |
Trends in El Centro, CA Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in El Centro peaked in 2006 at 8.70%. Since then it has fallen by 1.79% to 6.91%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2015 post peak low of 2.26%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 4.65%.
Rental Vacancy Rate: El Centro CA, California, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for El Centro
| Date | US | California | El Centro, CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 4.06% | — |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 3.97% | — |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 3.49% | — |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 3.31% | 6.91% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 3.33% | 2.26% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 3.90% | 6.00% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 4.22% | 4.91% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 4.51% | 4.85% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 4.94% | 2.84% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 5.86% | 7.86% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 5.76% | 7.19% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 4.72% | 7.14% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 4.61% | 2.64% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for El Centro, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For El Centro, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 20.05% in 2019 according to the ACS.
El Centro California Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| California | 24.08% | -0.15% | -0.28% |
| El Centro, CA | 20.05% | +1.07% | +0.79% |
Trends in El Centro, CA Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median El Centro household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 23.67%. Since then it has fallen by 3.62% to 20.05%. From a 2018 low of 18.99%, the fraction of income going to rent has increased by 1.07%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: El Centro CA, California, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in El Centro California
| Date | US | California | El Centro, CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 24.08% | 20.05% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 24.23% | 18.99% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 24.18% | 21.02% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 24.36% | 19.26% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 24.39% | 23.00% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 24.57% | 23.67% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 24.40% | 21.03% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 24.69% | 21.67% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 24.59% | 22.61% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 24.18% | 21.04% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 23.52% | 20.52% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 21.58% | 23.13% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 21.77% | 19.52% |
Renter Fraction in El Centro California
You can calculate the renter fraction in El Centro in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in El Centro as a fraction of total El Centro households. In 2019 44.54% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
El Centro Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| California | 45.14% | -0.04% | -1.22% |
| El Centro, CA | 44.54% | +10.31% | +5.29% |
Trends in the El Centro, CA Renter Fraction
The El Centro household renter fraction peaked in in 2007 at 50.82% and is now 6.28% below that level. From a recent low of 34.23% in 2018, the household based renter fraction has now grown by 10.31%. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: El Centro CA, California, US
History of El Centro Renter Fraction
| Date | US | California | El Centro, CA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 45.14% | 44.54% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 45.18% | 34.23% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 45.21% | 38.58% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 46.36% | 39.25% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 46.41% | 43.69% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 46.27% | 43.26% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 46.21% | 45.93% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 45.97% | 43.28% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 45.12% | 44.31% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 44.36% | 42.03% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 43.43% | 41.09% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 42.00% | 50.82% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 41.56% | 42.11% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
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