What is the rental vacancy rate in El Centro, CA?

Name: Vacancy rate in El Centro, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

The rental vacancy rate in El Centro, CA is 5.1% (±2.9 points) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

The homeowner vacancy rate is 0.4% (±0.7 points).

1,766 (±307) homes, 12.0% of all housing units, were vacant, a count that includes seasonal homes and homes being sold or rented.

In El Centro, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.4% in 2015–2019 to 5.1% in 2020–2024 (−1.3 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Rental vacancy rate: 5.1% (±2.9 points)
Homeowner vacancy rate: 0.4% (±0.7 points)
Vacant homes: 1,766 (±307)

Vacancy in El Centro against Imperial County, its state and the nation

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	El Centro	Imperial County	California	United States
Rental vacancy rate	5.1% (±2.9 points)	3.3% (±1.3 points)	4.2% (±0.1 points)	5.5%
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.4% (±0.7 points)	0.6% (±0.5 points)	0.8% (±0.1 points)	0.9%
Vacant housing units	1,766 (±307)	8,400 (±658)	1,096,644 (±18,928)	14,547,859

The rental vacancy rate is the share of rental homes that are vacant and for rent; it leaves out homes already rented but not yet moved into, and seasonal homes.

In El Centro, the rental vacancy rate is not measurably different from Imperial County (3.3%).

It is not measurably different from California (4.2%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (5.5%).

Rental vacancy rate in places near El Centro

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with El Centro
Place	Distance	Rental vacancy rate	Compared with this place
El Centro	—	5.1% (±2.9 points)	—
Imperial	3.7 mi	2.1% (±3.5 points)	Not measurably different
Heber	4.1 mi	0.0% (±6.8 points)	Not measurably different
Seeley	7.3 mi	13.6% (±18.3 points)	Not measurably different
Calexico	8.0 mi	1.0% (±1.1 points)	Lower
Holtville	11 mi	4.8% (±7.3 points)	Not measurably different
Brawley	13 mi	2.4% (±2.4 points)	Not measurably different
Westmorland	18 mi	7.8% (±6.6 points)	Not measurably different
Calipatria	27 mi	0.0% (±9.3 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Calexico, CA (1.0%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Rental vacancy rate across Imperial County, place by place

Rank	Place	Rental vacancy rate
1	Seeley	13.6% (±18.3 points)
2 (tie)	Westmorland	7.8% (±6.6 points)
2 (tie)	Salton City	7.8% (±15.4 points)
4	El Centro	5.1% (±2.9 points)
5	Holtville	4.8% (±7.3 points)
6	Brawley	2.4% (±2.4 points)
7	Imperial	2.1% (±3.5 points)
8	Calexico	1.0% (±1.1 points)
9 (tie)	Calipatria	0.0% (±9.3 points)
9 (tie)	Heber	0.0% (±6.8 points)

Showing 10 of 11 places in Imperial County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about El Centro

Is it hard to find a rental in El Centro?

The rental vacancy rate in El Centro, CA is 5.1% (±2.9 points); a low rate means few rental homes stand empty and for rent at any time, which usually means more competition for each one.

Is the rental market in El Centro tighter than it was?

In El Centro, the rental vacancy rate went from 6.4% in 2015–2019 to 5.1% in 2020–2024 (−1.3 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How many homes are vacant in El Centro?

An estimated 1,766 (±307) housing units, 12.0% of the total, including seasonal homes and homes waiting to be sold or rented.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for El Centro city, California (place:21782, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0005E, DP04_0005M, DP04_0004E, DP04_0004M, DP04_0003E, DP04_0003M, DP04_0003PE, DP04_0003PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.