NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in El Centro, CA

Metro Market Score 54.7 (Challenging), ranked #155 of 298 metros. 262 establishments, 4,228 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 54.7
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

⚡Rising Wages

Wage costs in El Centro's accommodation and food services sector are well above the metro average, with wage competitiveness at 70.1 and rising pressure at 86.7. New entrants should factor higher labor costs into their financial projections for this market.

Industry Concentration
1.7
LQ: 0.69
Rank #5 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
70.1
$28,015 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 35.2
Employment growth index
Rank #194 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
86.7
YoY wage change index

262 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in El Centro

262
Establishments
+1.6% YoY
4,228
Total Employment
-0.4% YoY
$28,015
Average Annual Wage
+8.0% YoY
0.69
Location Quotient
Below national avg

El Centro vs California Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to California overall. The state ranks #47/51 for entry risk.

Measure El Centro CA Statewide
Overall Score 54.7 Challenging 57.2 High
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #155 of 298 metros #47 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in El Centro

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 10.5 Information 12.3 Healthcare and Social Assistance 21.7 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 22.5 Finance and Insurance 28.6 Construction 31.0 Administrative and Support Services 37.6 Other Services 43.8 Retail Trade 53.6

Accommodation and Food Services in Other California Metros

Fresno 39.2 #46/298 Hanford-Corcoran 50.6 #120/298 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara 53.3 #140/298 Chico 53.8 #147/298 Visalia 56.9 #163/298 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles 60.6 #197/298 Redding 62.2 #208/298 Bakersfield-Delano 64.2 #220/298 Stockton-Lodi 64.5 #221/298 Merced 64.8 #225/298

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For El Centro's accommodation and food services sector, the employment growth component (64.8) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.