Salton Sea Beach, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 453, Salton Sea 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

Salton Sea Beach is a small community located in California, within Imperial County. The total population is 453. It ranks as the 1239th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Salton Sea Beach is 32.2 years. This is 15% lower than the state median of 37.9 years. With 38.4% of the population under 18, Salton Sea Beach has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community. 11.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Salton Sea Beach is $35,341. This is 64% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 56% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.2%. This is 76% 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 24.8%. This is 275% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. 80.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 44% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Salton Sea Beach is Hispanic or Latino, making up 70.6% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 29.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (70.6% vs 40.2%).

Education

3.8% 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 90% 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 64.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Salton Sea 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.