Imperial County, California Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Imperial County, California has a population of 180,202, the 31st most populous county in California. The median household income is $57,681 and the median home value is $309,600. The poverty rate is 19.5%.

Imperial County Quick Facts

Population 180,202

Median Household Income $57,68190% MOE ±$2,564

Median Home Value $309,60090% MOE ±$8,398

Poverty Rate 19.5%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Unemployment Rate 12.5%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Median Age 33.2 years90% MOE ±0.2 years

Homeownership Rate 56.8%90% MOE ±2.1 pts

Affordability Ratio 5.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.1%90% MOE ±1.1 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 71.5%

Cities/Places 18

Population 180,202 31st of 58

Median Income $57,681 42% lower than state

Poverty Rate 19.5%

Unemployment 12.5%

How Imperial County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	180,701	180,202	-0.3%
Median household income	$58,609	$57,681	No clear change (-1.6%)
Median home value¹	$240,973	$309,600	+28.5%
Median gross rent	$1,021	$1,056	No clear change (+3.4%)

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Imperial

$57,681

$99,122

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Imperial

$309,600

$734,700

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.5%

$25K-$50K 21.4%

$50K-$100K 28.2%

$100K+ 27.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

7.2%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

5.2%

$20K-$25K

5.8%

$25K-$30K

5.1%

$30K-$35K

3.6%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

4.4%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

8.0%

$60K-$75K

9.0%

$75K-$100K

11.3%

$100K-$125K

8.9%

$125K-$150K

6.7%

$150K-$200K

6.7%

$200K+

5.6%

Employment

12.5% Unemployment Rate State: 6.6%|National: 5.2%

53.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 56.8%

Renter 43.2%

Affordability Index Expensive

5.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,056/mo 22.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

28.3%

18-34

24.3%

35-54

23.6%

55-74

18.0%

75+

5.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 70 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Imperial County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
El Centro	44,240	$53,082	21.6%	$323,100
Calexico	38,585	$49,783	19.7%	$313,600
Brawley	27,283	$59,311	21.3%	$290,700
Imperial	21,430	$90,195	12.5%	$360,900
Heber	7,312	$72,028	10.6%	$335,600
Calipatria	6,548	$53,299	25.6%	$197,200
Salton City	5,988	$47,827	14.4%	$200,600
Holtville	5,617	$65,039	18.7%	$310,100
Westmorland	1,844	$28,839	48.6%	$310,200
Seeley	1,182	$62,841	19.5%	$198,200
Niland	1,116	N/A	14.8%	$226,200
Desert Shores	801	$37,212	5.5%	$178,600
Salton Sea Beach	453	$35,341	21.2%	N/A
El Centro Naval Air Facility	443	$69,063	0.0%	N/A
Bombay Beach	356	N/A	54.8%	$93,500
Winterhaven	234	N/A	80.3%	N/A
Ocotillo	118	N/A	32.2%	$157,900
Palo Verde	75	N/A	0.0%	N/A

Explore California Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Imperial County is located in California with a total population of 180,202. It is the 31st most populous county out of 58 in California. The county encompasses 18 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Imperial County is 33.2 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 28.3% of the population under 18, Imperial County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Imperial County is $57,681. This is 42% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.5%. This is 63% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 12.5%. This is 89% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $309,600. Housing costs are 58% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.4x. 56.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Imperial County has a predominantly Hispanic or Latino population, comprising 86.0% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 9.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (9.1%) is well below the state average of 33.8%. The Black or African American population (2.0%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (86.0% vs 40.2%). The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

16.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 57% 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 71.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Imperial County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against California and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Imperial County, California?

Imperial County has a population of 180,202, making it the 31st most populous county in California.

What is the median income in Imperial County?

The median household income in Imperial County is $57,681 with a poverty rate of 19.5%.

How many cities are in Imperial County, California?

Imperial County contains 18 Census-designated places.