PlainZIP

El Centro, CA · standard

ZIP Code 92243

Imperial County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

48,030
168/sq mi
$55,057
Median income
$317,900
Median home value
15.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

El Centro pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 31%
home value, US ZIPs
168
people per sq mi
52%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 92243 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 92243 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in El Centro, Imperial County, California, with 48,030 residents across 285.6 square miles, a density of 168 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 92243 reports a modest median household income of $55,057 (46% below the California average), while per-capita income is $23,703. Local economic indicators show a 21.2% poverty rate alongside 9.5% unemployment. Median home value sits at $317,900 (59% below the state average), median rent at $1,054 a month, and owner-occupancy at 51.5%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 31.1, and the average commute is 22 minutes. Beyond these figures, 4 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Imperial County, letting you compare 92243 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 92243

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in El Centro, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 92243.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 92243, El Centro, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

48,030

Population

285.6

Area (sq mi)

168

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 92243?

31.1

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

29.7%

Foreign-Born

White 20.2%
African American 3.2%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 27.6%
Hispanic or Latino 85.4%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$55,057

Median Household Income

-46% vs state

$23,703

Per Capita Income

21.2%

Poverty Rate

9.5%

Unemployment Rate

21.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 92243 ranks nationally

El Centro, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$55,057 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 42.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

16,255

Total Housing Units

14,260

Occupied Units

1,995

Vacant Units

3.38

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 51.5%
Renter 48.5%

$317,900

Median Home Value

-59% vs state

$1,054

Median Rent

1982

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+11.4%

YoY Change (2024)

295

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+195%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 92243 have increased 11.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +195% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.4% 197
2021 +13.6% 224
2022 +14.1% 255
2023 +3.6% 264
2024 +11.4% 295

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,085 business establishments in ZIP 92243, employing approximately 15,904 people with a combined annual payroll of $686,676,000.

1,085

Businesses

15,904

Employees

$686.7M

Annual Payroll

18

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 182 16.8%
Health care and social assistance 177 16.3%
Accommodation and food services 122 11.2%
Other services (except public administration) 97 8.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 85 7.8%
Wholesale trade 76 7.0%
Construction 63 5.8%
Transportation and warehousing 58 5.3%
Finance and insurance 56 5.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 49 4.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 39 3.6%
Manufacturing 28 2.6%
Information 18 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 1.1%
Educational services 9 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 7 0.7%
Utilities 3 0.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 92243 vs 92231 →

ZIP 92243 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 92243 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 92243 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 92243 ranks #4 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
92231 Calexico, CA 39,073 6.8 mi
92273 Seeley, CA 1,823 6.6 mi
92249 Heber, CA 7,334 8.0 mi
92251 Imperial, CA 21,583 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Imperial County

92231 standard
Calexico, CA
Pop: 39,073
92227 standard
Brawley, CA
Pop: 26,234
92251 standard
Imperial, CA
Pop: 21,583
92250 standard
Holtville, CA
Pop: 8,285
92233 standard
Calipatria, CA
Pop: 8,099
92249 standard
Heber, CA
Pop: 7,334

Related Areas

Imperial County El Centro, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 92243 in? ▼
ZIP code 92243 (El Centro) is located in Imperial County, California. Imperial County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/imperial-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 92243? ▼
ZIP code 92243 in El Centro, CA has a population of 48,030 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 92243? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 92243 is $55,057, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 92243? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 92243 is $317,900, which is 14% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 92243? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 92243 is Two or More Ethnicities at 27.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 85.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 92243? ▼
ZIP code 92243 has 1,085 business establishments employing approximately 15,904 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 92243? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 92243 are: Retail trade (182), Health care and social assistance (177), Accommodation and food services (122). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 92243? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 92243 increased by 11.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 195%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 92243? ▼
In ZIP code 92243, 42.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 92243? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 92243 is 21.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 92243? ▼
In ZIP code 92243, approximately 51.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 48.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 92243? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 92243 is 21.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.