El CentroCalifornia
El Centro is a city in and the county seat of Imperial County, California, United States. El Centro is the most populous city in the Imperial Valley, the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core urban area and principal city of the El Centro metropolitan area which encompasses all of Imperial County.
Intro: Wikipedia
About El Centro
Set in the southeastern part of California, El Centro is a thriving city, home to 44,230 residents as of the latest Census estimates.
El Centro holds the status of an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 12.12 square miles, giving it a compact, walkable footprint at roughly 3,649 residents per square mile.
What Makes El Centro Unique
- The only place in America named El Centro — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
- Positioned in southeastern California, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
- Part of the fabric of California — one of 1,618 recognized communities statewide.
Why People Love It Here
- Big enough for services and schools, small enough to feel like home.
- Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 44,230.
- Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 7 miles.
🍽️ Where to Eat in El Centro
Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · click a restaurant to read or write reviews.
🎡 Fun Things to Do
Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.
🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in El Centro
Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.
🏫 Schools in El Centro
- Ballington Academy for the Arts and Sciences
- Central Union High
- De Anza Magnet
- Desert Garden Elementary
- Desert Oasis High (Continuation)
- Harding Elementary
- Imperial Valley ROP
- Kennedy Middle
- Lincoln Elementary
- Margaret Hedrick Elementary
- McKinley Elementary
- Mt. Signal Virtual Academy
- Phoenix Rising High
- Southwest High
Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.
🏥 Hospitals & Healthcare
- El Centro Regional Medical Center ★ (1/5 CMS rating) · 24/7 ER
Medicare-registered hospitals with official CMS star ratings.