According to Reuters in 2021, "El Zonte is visibly poor, with dirt roads and a faulty drainage system.".

[3] In Summer 2023, the roads in El Zonte were updated from dirt to brick, as well as an improved drainage system.

In El Zonte, a foreign volunteer-run program called the "Medusas" provide English and art education as well as low-cost surfing instruction.

[4] Skateboarding is a popular activity among young residents of El Zonte, and a local community skatepark was established in the town.

[9] In 2022, the American network HBO premiered an episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel that reported on the development of Bitcoin as a legal tender in El Zonte and how it has impacted the community.