City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

El Cajon, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for El Cajon - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

104,909
Residents
$66,478
Median income
$632,800
Median home
$3,001
Median rent (state)

El Cajon - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, El Cajon lands in the 45th percentile for household income and the 34th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

45th
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
34th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: El Cajon, CA

104,909 people live in El Cajon, California - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. El Cajon households earn a median of $66,478 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.1%. Home values in El Cajon run a median of $632,800, and the median resident age is 35.5 years. About 22.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 56.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 119 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 21% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1934.7 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 65.2°F with 11.6 inches of precipitation per year.

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $3,001 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

104,909 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$66,478 /yr

Poverty 16.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does El Cajon compare to other US cities?

Where El Cajon sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 45% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities
Safety 34% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at California, El Cajon ranks #226 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below El Cajon's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

45thIncome percentile
34thSafety percentile

45th percentile nationally for median household income · 34th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

El Cajon's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

El Cajon's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
El Cajon's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How El Cajon's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$632,800 9th percentile more affordable than 9% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. El Cajon $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. 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 · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - El Cajon, CA El Cajon, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not El Cajon, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution El Cajon, CA median $66,478/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
El Cajon, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for El Cajon, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
104,909
Median Income
$66,478
Median Home Value
$632,800
Median Age
35.5
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Labor force participation
56.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1934.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
434.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1500.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
65.2°F
Annual Precipitation
11.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"

Schools

Total Schools
43
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
100,000 residents102,000 residents104,000 residents106,000 residents108,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 106,069 residents 101,755 residents ▼ -4.1%
El Cajon's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
119
housing units authorized
Single-Family
119
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 151
2020 52
2021 41
2022 63
2023 135
2024 119

Permit volume decreased 21% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.8%
Carpool
9.3%
Public Transit
2.6%
Walk
2.5%
Work from Home
10.2%
Other
2.6%

Based on 44,717 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county El Cajon sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$3,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Burbank
105,165 people
Inglewood
105,575 people
Rialto
103,866 people
Jurupa Valley
106,244 people
San Mateo
103,555 people
Menifee
107,020 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to El Cajon's 104,909 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brockton, MA
105,080 people
San Tan Valley, AZ
105,231 people
Renton, WA
105,279 people
Spokane Valley, WA
105,460 people
Columbia, MD
105,871 people
Boulder, CO
106,274 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to El Cajon's $66,478 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Elkhart, KS
$66,477 median income
Kanawha, IA
$66,481 median income
Gramercy, LA
$66,475 median income
Atwood, KS
$66,473 median income
Gulf Hills, MS
$66,472 median income
Lomira, WI
$66,471 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - El Cajon, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition El Cajon, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.8% 6.5% 11.1% 15.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 29.1% White 60.8% Black or African American 6.5% Asian 4.8% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.8% Some other race 11.1% Two or more races 15.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How El Cajon compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
El Cajon (this city) 104,909 $66,478
Burbank 105,165 $95,816
Inglewood 105,575 $71,029
Rialto 103,866 $85,521
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about El Cajon, CA?

What is the population of El Cajon, CA? +

104,909 people live in El Cajon, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in El Cajon, CA? +

Median annual household income in El Cajon runs $66,478, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in El Cajon? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for El Cajon; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is El Cajon, CA safe? +

El Cajon has a total crime rate of 1934.7 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in El Cajon, CA? +

El Cajon's median home value sits at $632,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in El Cajon? +

Climate normals put El Cajon's yearly average temperature at 65.2°F, 11.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.