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Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA vs El Centro, CA

A 2-bedroom in El Centro costs $2,852 less per month than Santa Cruz-Watsonville ($1,362 vs $4,214). Median income is $109,266 in Santa Cruz-Watsonville and $56,393 in El Centro. That's a difference of $34,224 per year in housing costs.

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$4,214
2BR Fair Market Rent
46.3% burden
El Centro, CA
$1,362
2BR Fair Market Rent
29% burden

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricSanta Cruz-WatsonvilleEl Centro
Studio FMR$3,179$939
1BR FMR$3,298$1,038
2BR FMR$4,214$1,362
3BR FMR$5,377$1,845
4BR FMR$5,659$2,285
Median Income$109,266$56,393
Rent Burden46.3%29%
Actual Median Rent$2,172$1,012
Median Home Value$1,015,200$279,500
Population266K179K
Renter %40%43.2%
Vacancy Rate9.2%15.1%
Poverty Rate11.2%19.6%
YoY Change+3.9%+5.9%
Min Wage$16.50/hr$16.50/hr

Income Required to Afford a 2-Bedroom

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Annual Income Needed
$168,560
Hourly Wage Needed
$81/hr
Min Wage Work Hours/Week
196.5 hrs
at $16.50/hr (CA min wage)
El Centro, CA
Annual Income Needed
$54,480
Hourly Wage Needed
$26/hr
Min Wage Work Hours/Week
63.5 hrs
at $16.50/hr (CA min wage)

Frequently Asked Questions

El Centro, CA is more affordable with a 2BR FMR of $1,362/mo, which is $2,852 less than Santa Cruz-Watsonville at $4,214/mo. However, when considering local incomes, Santa Cruz-Watsonville has a rent burden of 46.3% vs 29% in El Centro.

A 2-bedroom in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA costs $4,214/mo at Fair Market Rent, while in El Centro, CA it's $1,362/mo, a difference of $2,852/mo or $34,224/year.

To afford a 2BR without spending more than 30% of income on rent: Santa Cruz-Watsonville requires $168,560/year ($81/hr). El Centro requires $54,480/year ($26/hr).