Living in El Cajon
In El Cajon, the median gross salary is €3,020 a month (2024).
El Cajon is in the United States; its population was 104,449 in July 2026. In July 2026, 70.1% of renter households spent at least 30% of income on housing. There were 14,945 physicians per 100,000 residents in 2026.
Which United States-wide rules apply when you move to El Cajon?
National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.
Housing and cost
Median gross rent was US$1,856 per month, while the median home value was US$681,700 in July 2026. Owner occupation was 41.5%, and the vacancy rate was 3.68% in July 2026.
Supplemental estimate lane; these items are not official statistics.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness club membership, monthly | 43.54 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited | 62.4 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Private kindergarten, monthly | 1,451 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Mobile plan, 10 GB | 46.48 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Basic utilities, 85 m² home | 137.1 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308)36Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Median gross rent | $1,856/month | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Households spending over 30% of income on rent | 70.1 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Housing vacancy rate (legacy series) | 3.68 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Property crime per 100,000 residents | 1,973 per 100,000 people | 1 Jul 2026 | FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics13Official |
| Average monthly rent (whole dwelling) | 1,749 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2020 | ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent)4Official |
| Median monthly rent | 1,631 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables26Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
| Recorded property crimes | 1,233 offenses/year | 31 Dec 2025 | FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)14Official |
Is El Cajon a good place to live?
There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.
Worked out from these numbers
How international is the population?
30.1% of residents hold a foreign nationality — 30,621 of 101,755 people. This counts nationality, not place of birth, so long-settled residents who naturalised are not in it.
Work and income
Median household income was US$67,511 a year in July 2026.
El Cajon 9.6%
Unemployment rate (%)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | 67,511 USD/year | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Households with cable, fibre or DSL broadband | 77.84 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.57 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Households with internet but no subscription | 1.77 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Households without internet | 4.66 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Households with satellite internet | 6.98 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Median gross salary | 3,020 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2024 | ACS 2024 1-year table-based Summary File, table B20002 (Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars) by Sex for the Population 16 Years and Over with Earnings), place records5Official |
| Median gross salary (regional) | 4,337 EUR/month | 31 Dec 2025 | www.bls.gov25Official |
| Unemployment rate | 9.58 % | 31 Dec 2024 | Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables26Supplemental estimate · Supplemental context |
What does a salary buy in El Cajon?
Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.
RentUtilitiesInternetMobileLeft over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
| Each month | € |
|---|---|
| Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions; euro amounts at the ECB average for 2026-08. | €2,397 |
| Rentaverage rent of a whole dwelling · official · ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) · 2020-12-31 | − €1,749 |
| Public transport passnot published for this city | — |
| Utilities, 85 m²€137 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308) · 2025-12-31 | − €137 |
| Internet€62 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308) · 2025-12-31 | − €62 |
| Mobile plan€46 · market price · Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308) · 2025-12-31 | − €46 |
| Left overbefore the bill this city does not publish | €403 |
Public employment service
No exact public employment office is currently linked to El Cajon. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.
American Job Centers — Public employment service
Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in El Cajon. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.
Family and education
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residents with high school education or higher | 84.4 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Schools | 77 schools | 30 Jun 2026 | NCES CCD public school count17Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · school district |
| School enrolment, share of residents | 29.17 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
Healthcare
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental health provider ratio | 583 ratio | 30 Jun 2026 | HRSA mental health provider ratio16Official |
| Primary care doctors per 100,000 residents | 14,945 per 100,000 people | 30 Jun 2026 | HRSA mental health provider ratio16Official |
| Preventable hospitalizations | 2,105 per 100,000 people | 30 Jun 2026 | HRSA mental health provider ratio16Official |
| GP practices | 112 count | 13 Sept 2026 | NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 202620Official |
| Pharmacies | 41 count | 13 Sept 2026 | NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 202620Official |
| Physicians per 100,000 residents | 184.8 per 100,000 | 13 Sept 2026 | NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 202620Official |
Yes — migrants can receive medical care in El Cajon when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.
Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.
Open the official coverage guideSafety
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglaries per 100,000 residents | 158.9 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | US-FBI-CDE-CA0370500-202423Official |
| Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents | 1,935 offences per 100,000country median 1,586 | 31 Dec 2024 | FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting15Official |
| Violent crime per 100,000 residents | 435.4 incidents per 100,000 | 31 Dec 2024 | US-FBI-CDE-CA0370500-202424Official |
| Recorded violent crimes | 467 offenses/year | 31 Dec 2025 | FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)14Official |
Mobility and administration
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average commute time | 24.83 minutes | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Workers commuting by bicycle | 0.41 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Workers commuting by public transport | 2.27 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Workers walking to work | 2.27 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Nearest airport | SEE | 3 Aug 2026 | OurAirports21Official |
| Distance to nearest airport | 4 km | 3 Aug 2026 | OurAirports21Official |
Language courses and integration
No exact city-level course record is currently published for El Cajon. These verified national programmes may still apply; use the official programme page to check local availability.
Adult Education and English Language Acquisition (AEFLA) — State Language Course
U.S. Department of Education
For adult learners, adult English-language learners.
USCIS English and citizenship class finder — Civic Orientation
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
For immigrants, future citizens.
Climate and air quality
Night-time low to daytime high
mm
Within WHO 2021 guidelineAbove WHO, within EU limitAbove EU legal limitCity annual mean · µg/m³
City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.
El Cajon 9.2
Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 — annual mean | 9.19 µg/m³country median 7.0 | 31 Dec 2024 | EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 202412Official |
| Average daytime high by month | Jan 20.72 · Feb 20.67 · Mar 21.83 · Apr 23.61 · May 24.56 · Jun 27.11 · Jul 30.06 · Aug 31.44 · Sep 30.72 · Oct 27.22 · Nov 24 · Dec 20.28 °C | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202019Official |
| Average night-time low by month | Jan 5.83 · Feb 6.89 · Mar 8.89 · Apr 10.39 · May 13.28 · Jun 15.22 · Jul 17.39 · Aug 18.17 · Sep 16.72 · Oct 13.11 · Nov 8.39 · Dec 5.39 °C | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202019Official |
| Average temperature by month | Jan 13.28 · Feb 13.78 · Mar 15.39 · Apr 17 · May 18.94 · Jun 21.17 · Jul 23.72 · Aug 24.78 · Sep 23.72 · Oct 20.17 · Nov 16.22 · Dec 12.83 °C | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202019Official |
| Average precipitation by month | Jan 58.93 · Feb 66.29 · Mar 48.77 · Apr 19.05 · May 7.62 · Jun 1.52 · Jul 4.06 · Aug 0.51 · Sep 2.79 · Oct 13.72 · Nov 25.65 · Dec 46.48 mm | 1991–2020 | NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-202019Official |
| PM2.5, highest monitored reading | 40.7 µg/m³ | 1 Jul 2026 | EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county |
| PM2.5, annual mean | 8.46 µg/m³ | 1 Jul 2026 | EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county |
| PM2.5 monitoring sites | 25 monitors | 1 Jul 2026 | EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean11Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · county |
| Annual precipitation | 489 mm | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals18Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
| Maximum July temperature | 23.78 °C | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals18Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
| Average annual temperature | 17.4 °C | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals18Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
| Minimum January temperature | 12.02 °C | 30 Jun 2026 | NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals18Official source, approximated value · Supplemental context · station observation |
Population and city profile
By nationality
National passport69.9%Foreign residents30.1%
Calculated from the population and foreign-resident facts on this page.
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign-resident share | 29.32 % | 31 Dec 2020 | ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records2Official |
| Foreign residents | 30,621 people | 31 Dec 2020 | ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records2Official |
| Population density | 2,708 people/km² | 31 Dec 2025 | Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau10Official |
| Population | 101,755 people | 31 Dec 2025 | U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program22Official |
| Population covered by crime statistics | 102,604 people | 31 Dec 2025 | FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip)14Official |
Additional context
| Metric | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | 681,700 USD | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Owner-occupied homes | 41.5 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Labour force participation rate | 61.15 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Residents born abroad | 29.32 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Naturalized citizens, share of residents | 17.37 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Non-citizens, share of residents | 11.95 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Flu vaccination coverage | 65.54 % | 30 Jun 2026 | CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage8Official |
| Mammography screening coverage | 73.3 % | 30 Jun 2026 | CDC mammography screening rate9Official |
| Residents without health insurance | 6.52 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Residents with a bachelor's degree or higher | 23.02 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Crime reporting agencies | 1 agencies | 1 Jul 2026 | FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics13Official |
| Households with a vehicle available | 91.86 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS median gross rent6Official |
| Public transport agencies in the National Transit Database | 0 agencies | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Workers aged 16 and over | 43,310 workers | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Workers mainly working from home | 11.4 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
| Households using cellular data plans | 88.07 % | 4 Jul 2026 | ACS total population7Official |
Alternatives for people set on El Cajon
Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.
Carlsbad as an El Cajon alternative in the same region
54 km away, better on 4 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 3.
- Median gross pay, city: €5,151 Carlsbad vs €3,020 El Cajon+71%
- Unemployment: 5.5% Carlsbad vs 9.6% El Cajon−42%
- Foreign residents: 14.1% Carlsbad vs 29.3% El Cajon−52%
- Nearest airport: 7.0 km Carlsbad vs 4.0 km El Cajon+75%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 1,710 Carlsbad vs 1,935 El Cajon−12%
- Annual PM2.5: 7.6 µg/m³ Carlsbad vs 9.2 µg/m³ El Cajon−17%
- Basic utilities, 85 m²: €168 Carlsbad vs €137 El Cajon+22%
Daly City as an El Cajon alternative in the same country
A move, not a commute, at 738 km, better on 5 of 7 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2.
- Nearest airport: 12.0 km Daly City vs 4.0 km El Cajon+200%
- Median gross pay, city: €4,011 Daly City vs €3,020 El Cajon+33%
- Unemployment: 5.3% Daly City vs 9.6% El Cajon−44%
- Foreign residents: 49.7% Daly City vs 29.3% El Cajon+69%
- Median gross pay, region: €5,487 Daly City vs €4,337 El Cajon+27%
- Annual PM2.5: 6.7 µg/m³ Daly City vs 9.2 µg/m³ El Cajon−27%
- Recorded crime, per 100k: 2,105 Daly City vs 1,935 El Cajon+9%
Cities near El Cajon
Published cities within 25 km, nearest first. Distances are straight-line.
- Rent
- 1,928 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
- Rent
- 1,823 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
- Salary
- 5,072 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
- Rent
- 2,419 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
- Salary
- 4,554 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
- Rent
- 1,767 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
- Salary
- 3,895 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
- Rent
- 2,001 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
- Salary
- 3,776 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
- Rent
- 1,863 EUR/monthMedian monthly rent · 2020-12-31
- Salary
- 3,822 EUR/monthMedian gross salary · 2020-12-31
Alternative cities in United States
Other cities in United States to compare with El Cajon, nearest in population first.
How does El Cajon compare?
Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays El Cajon's.
Common questions
Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.
What is the typical salary around El Cajon?
The median gross salary is 4,337 EUR/month. Source: www.bls.gov.
What is the unemployment rate in El Cajon?
The unemployment rate is 9.58 %. This is a supplemental estimate, not an official municipal measurement. Source: Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables.
Is the air quality good in El Cajon?
The annual PM2.5 mean is 9.19 µg/m³. The WHO 2021 guideline is 5 µg/m³ and the EU limit value is 25 µg/m³, so this reading is above the WHO guideline but within the EU limit. Source: EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024.
How safe is El Cajon?
Police recorded 1,935 offences per 100,000. This counts all offences, so it is not comparable with a violent-crime-only rate from another source. Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting.
How many people live in El Cajon?
The published population is 101,755 people. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program.
How many foreign residents live in El Cajon?
30,621 residents hold a foreign nationality. Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records.
Is El Cajon a good place to live?
El Cajon may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.
Which cities are near El Cajon?
Bostonia, Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, Rancho San Diego, Winter Gardens, La Mesa are near El Cajon. Typed relationship labels are shown where published; other rows use straight-line distance from admitted coordinates.
Cite this page
Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.
APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). El Cajon, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs [ImmigrationDB compilation; version a3bb53c80d123ad5443c184292739b97]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/el-cajon/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_el-cajon-united-states-population-rent-salary-jobs_ef47fa639979,
author = {ImmigrationDB},
title = {El Cajon, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs},
publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-16},
version = {a3bb53c80d123ad5443c184292739b97},
url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/el-cajon/},
note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}Markdown citation
[El Cajon, United States: population, rent, salary, jobs](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/us/el-cajon/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version a3bb53c80d123ad5443c184292739b97; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.
Sources
- 2024 American Community Survey 5-year detailed tables api.census.gov · checked 2026-10-04
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B05002 (Place of Birth by Nativity and Citizenship Status), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, table B25064 (Median Gross Rent), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
- ACS 2020-2024 5-year table-based Summary File, tables B25065 (Aggregate Gross Rent) and B25063 (Gross Rent, units with cash rent) www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-19
- ACS 2024 1-year table-based Summary File, table B20002 (Median Earnings in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars) by Sex for the Population 16 Years and Over with Earnings), place records www2.census.gov · checked 2026-09-18
- ACS median gross rent api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
- ACS total population api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-04
- CDC BRFSS flu vaccination coverage data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- CDC mammography screening rate data.cdc.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- Census Reporter / U.S. Census Bureau api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-08-03
Show 26 more sources
- EPA AirData PM2.5 annual mean aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-01
- EPA AQS annual PM2.5 monitor data 2024 aqs.epa.gov · checked 2026-07-26
- FBI CDE/UCR crime statistics cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-07-01
- FBI CIUS Table 8 by City 2025 (CDE offenses-known-to-le-2025.zip) cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-05
- FBI Crime Data Explorer / Uniform Crime Reporting cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-08-04
- HRSA mental health provider ratio data.hrsa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- NCES CCD public school count nces.ed.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- NOAA GHCN-Daily climate normals ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-06-30
- NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 ncei.noaa.gov · checked 2026-07-26
- NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 — September 2026 NPPES Data Dissemination V.2 · download.cms.gov · checked 2026-09-18
- OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program www2.census.gov · checked 2026-08-03
- US-FBI-CDE-CA0370500-2024 cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-15
- US-FBI-CDE-CA0370500-2024 cde.ucr.cjis.gov · checked 2026-09-15
- www.bls.gov bls.gov · checked 2026-08-27
- Census Reporter mirror of ACS 2024 5-year tables api.censusreporter.org · checked 2026-07-26
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Coordinate identity evidence wikidata.org · checked 2026-09-06
- Numbeo - Cost of Living in El Cajon (Wayback Machine capture 20250916003308) numbeo.com · checked 2026-07-31
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.