Question 1

What is the cost of living in El Centro, CA?

Accepted Answer

El Centro, CA's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parity) is 95.17, where 100 equals the U.S. average. That means everyday goods, services, and housing cost about 4.8% less than the national average. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $1,362/month.

Question 2

What is the average salary in El Centro, CA?

Accepted Answer

Across the 100 BLS-tracked occupation categories with published data in El Centro, CA, the average median wage is $103,461. The single highest-paying occupation here is Physicians, All Other at $370,290/year (BLS OEWS).

Question 3

What are the highest-paying jobs in El Centro?

Accepted Answer

Based on BLS OEWS data, the top-paying occupations in El Centro, CA are: 1) Physicians, All Other at $370,290; 2) Family Medicine Physicians at $220,170; 3) Dentists, General at $217,830; 4) Chief Executives at $177,950; 5) Architectural and Engineering Managers at $172,460. Click any occupation above to see the full wage breakdown (10th to 90th percentile).

Question 4

How much does it cost to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in El Centro?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for a 2-bedroom unit in El Centro, CA is $1,362/month. FMR is the rent level HUD uses to administer housing assistance and reflects the 40th percentile of standard-quality rentals, updated annually.

Question 5

Where does AffordMap's El Centro data come from?

Accepted Answer

Salary figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. Cost of living comes from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (RPP). Rent comes from HUD Fair Market Rents. All three are federal datasets, updated annually, and free to use. AffordMap pairs them so you can see what a salary actually buys after local costs.

Rank	Occupation	Category	Median salary	Hourly
81	Carpenters	Construction & Trades	$74K	$35.74/hr
82	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors	Community & Social	$74K	$35.39/hr
83	Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products	Sales	$73K	$35.23/hr
84	Construction and Building Inspectors	Construction & Trades	$73K	$35.03/hr
85	Human Resources Specialists	Business & Finance	$72K	$34.6/hr
86	Computer Network Support Specialists	Technology	$71K	$34.32/hr
87	Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	Construction & Trades	$71K	$34.05/hr
88	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines	Repair & Maintenance	$71K	$33.99/hr
89	First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers	Sales	$70K	$33.86/hr
90	Marriage and Family Therapists	Community & Social	$70K	$33.83/hr

Top Paying Jobs in El Centro, CA

Highest paying careers in El Centro

Affordability snapshot: El Centro