The Town FilesEl Cerrito, California
Community in Riverside County · population 5,058 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $627,400
- Household income
- $108,882
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 35.7
El Cerrito is a community of 5,058 people in Riverside County, California. The median home is worth $627,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for families than 89% of California towns, more vibrant than 83% of California towns, easier by car than 73% of California towns.
How El Cerrito ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in El Cerrito is worth $627,400, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $108,882, which is more affordable than 61% of California towns. Median rent is $1,787 a month. 81.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | El Cerrito | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $627,400 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,787 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $108,882 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 81.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in El Cerrito
| People | El Cerrito | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 43.0 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in El Cerrito
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 43.6°F. About 9.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 101 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of El Cerrito since 1950.
Severe weather in Riverside County since 1996
Riverside County has been included in 66 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2026 | Fire | FM-5636: Bain Fire |
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5538: Airport Fire |
| July 21, 2024 | Fire | FM-5515: Hawarden Fire |
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Riverside County
Riverside County had 840,433 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,734 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in El Cerrito itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near El Cerrito
- Home Gardens, CA2.8 mi · 11,203 people · home $538,700
- Corona, CA3.0 mi · 157,136 people · home $700,700
- El Sobrante, CA4.2 mi · 14,039 people · home $836,300
- Coronita, CA5.7 mi · 2,639 people · home $597,400
- Norco, CA6.3 mi · 26,316 people · home $782,400
- Temescal Valley, CA6.4 mi · 26,232 people · home $710,400
- Lake Mathews, CA8.9 mi · 5,972 people · home $760,900
- Woodcrest, CA9.2 mi · 15,378 people · home $786,300
El Cerrito questions
Is El Cerrito, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, El Cerrito scores better for retirees than 11% of California towns and quieter than 50%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in El Cerrito?
The median owner-occupied home in El Cerrito is valued at $627,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,882, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,787 a month.
What is the weather like in El Cerrito?
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 43.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does El Cerrito get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of El Cerrito in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)