Bombay Beach, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 356, Bombay Beach's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Bombay Beach is a small community located in California, within Imperial County. The total population is 356. It ranks as the 1284th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bombay Beach is 52.8 years. This is 39% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 8.4% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 54.8%. This is 356% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 6.1%. This is 8% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $93,500. Housing costs are 87% lower than the state median of $734,700. 77.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 39% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bombay Beach is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.4% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 29.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (60.4% vs 33.8%). The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (29.2% vs 5.2%).

Education

15.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 58% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 81.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bombay Beach, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.