Imperial County, CA

County

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2021 Population

180,051

0.293% 1-year decline

US Senator

Dianne Feinstein

Democratic Party

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

32.5

0% 1-year change

2021 Poverty Rate

21%

6.62% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$49,078

6.18% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$219,800

6.34% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

58,404

1.83% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Imperial County, CA had a population of 180k people with a median age of 32.5 and a median household income of $49,078. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Imperial County, CA declined from 180,580 to 180,051, a −0.293% decrease and its median household income grew from $46,222 to $49,078, a 6.18% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Imperial County, CA are White (Hispanic) (38.3%), Other (Hispanic) (31.4%), Two+ (Hispanic) (14.3%), White (Non-Hispanic) (9.73%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.47%).

None of the households in Imperial County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

85.3% of the residents in Imperial County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Imperial County, CA are Imperial Valley College (2,917 degrees awarded in 2021) and CET-El Centro (134 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Imperial County, CA was $219,800, and the homeownership rate was 58%.

Most people in Imperial County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22 minutes. The average car ownership in Imperial County, CA was 2 cars per household.

Imperial County, CA borders La Paz County, AZ, Yuma County, AZ, Riverside County, CA, and San Diego County, CA.

United States California El Centro, CA

Population & Diversity

Imperial County, CA is home to a population of 180k people, from which 85.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 29.9% of Imperial County, CA residents were born outside of the country (53.9k people).

In 2021, there were 1.22 times more White (Hispanic) residents (69k people) in Imperial County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 56.5k Other (Hispanic) and 25.7k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

85.3%

2021 Citizenship

85%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 85.3% of Imperial County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Imperial County, CA was 85%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Imperial County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Imperial County, CA

White (Hispanic)
69k ± 2.92k
Other (Hispanic)
56.5k ± 2.74k
Two+ (Hispanic)
25.7k ± 2.92k

85.1%

Hispanic Population

153k people

85.1% of the people in Imperial County, CA are hispanic (153k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Imperial County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,959,545 ± 46,338 people
Philippines
828,655 ± 22,113 people
China
680,942 ± 20,084 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,959,545 California residents, followed by Philippines with 828,655 and China with 680,942.

Foreign-Born Population

29.9%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

53.9k people

30.1%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

54.4k people

As of 2021, 29.9% of Imperial County, CA residents (53.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Imperial County, CA was 30.1%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Imperial County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
1,577 ± 421
Vietnam
1,465 ± 277
Gulf War (1990s)
922 ± 255

Imperial County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.08 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Imperial County, CA employs 58.4k people. The largest industries in Imperial County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,853 people), Retail Trade (7,126 people), and Public Administration (6,391 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($83,882), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($83,041), and Public Administration ($66,904).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,050. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.497, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

58.4k

2021 Value

± 2,199

−1.83%

1 Year decline

± 5.46%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Imperial County, CA declined at a rate of −1.83%, from 59.5k employees to 58.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Imperial County, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (6,451 people), Sales & Related Occupations (5,655 people), and Healthcare Support Occupations (4,429 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Imperial County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

58.4k

2021 Value

± 2,199

−1.83%

1 Year decline

± 5.46%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Imperial County, CA declined at a rate of −1.83%, from 59.5k employees to 58.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Imperial County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,853 people), Retail Trade (7,126 people), and Public Administration (6,391 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Imperial County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Imperial County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,022

Median earning men ± $2,143

$25,378

Median earning women ± $1,706

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($83,650), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($64,221), and Information ($53,287).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($51,161), Construction ($37,813), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($30,473).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in California. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,010
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
595
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
543
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$593k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$342k
Manufacturing
$285k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $405B, followed by Mixed freight ($159B) and Pharmaceuticals ($155B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound California products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California.

$2.21T

2020 Value in California

$4.61T

Projected 2050 Value in California

109% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $2.21T. This is expected to increase 109% to $4.61T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound California trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from California to other states, or from other states to California.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$84.4B
Arizona
$44.8B
Ohio
$40.6B

In 2020, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $84.4B, followed by Arizona with $44.8B and Ohio and $40.6B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that California shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Imperial County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 61.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (36.7%), followed by Other (1.46%).

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (61.1%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (36.7%)
Republican Party
Other (1.46%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Imperial County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 61.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (36.7%), followed by Other (1.46%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Imperial County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Dianne Feinstein

Senator from California

Assumed office on November 10, 1992
Elected to the seat to succeed John Seymour (California politician)|John Seymour, who had been appointed to the seat after Pete Wilson was elected Governor of California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 18, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Imperial County, CA awarded 3,051 degrees. The student population of Imperial County, CA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 3,125 male students and 4,259 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Imperial County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (2,852 and 93.5%), followed by White (84 and 2.76%), Black or African American (41 and 1.34%), and Unknown (32 and 1.05%).

The largest universities in Imperial County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Imperial Valley College (2,917 and 95.6%) and CET-El Centro (134 and 4.39%).

The most popular majors in Imperial County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (907 and 29.7%), Biological & Physical Sciences (389 and 12.7%), and Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration (218 and 7.15%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 7,384 students enrolled in Imperial County, CA, 42.3% men and 57.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 6,721 records, of which 58.5% were women and 41.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Biological & Physical Sciences
388 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
223 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration
195 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Imperial County, CA was Biological & Physical Sciences with 388 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Imperial County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Imperial Valley College
2,917 degrees awarded
CET-El Centro
134 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Imperial Valley College with 2,917 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 1,191 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Imperial County, CA, which is 0.64 times less than the 1,860 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 2,852 degrees mean that there were 34 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 84 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($1,104) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($22) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,035) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2021, 1.89% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.12% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were Some college (7.01M), High School or Equivalent (6.74M), and Bachelors Degree (6.25M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Imperial County, CA was $219,800 in 2021, which is 0.898 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $206,700 to $219,800, a 6.34% increase. The homeownership rate in Imperial County, CA is 58%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Imperial County, CA have an average commute time of 22 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Imperial County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Imperial County, CA is $49,078. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Imperial County, CA was Census Tract 118.01 with a value of $118,407, followed by Census Tract 118.03 and Census Tract 108, with respective values of $87,375 and $87,292.

In 2022, 26.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Imperial County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.23%.

Housing

Property

$219,800

Median Property Value 2021

±$6,531

$26,392

Median Property Taxes

±$1,423

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Imperial County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Imperial County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

58%

Homeownership

2021

66.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 58% of the housing units in Imperial County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 58.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Imperial County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 118.01
Census Tract 118.03
Census Tract 108

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Imperial County, CA was Census Tract 118.01 with a value of $118,407, followed by Census Tract 118.03 and Census Tract 108, with respective values of $87,375 and $87,292.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Imperial County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$49,078

Median Household Income

± $2,530

45.5k

Number of Households

± 1,899

In 2021, the median household income of the 45.5k households in Imperial County, CA grew to $49,078 from the previous year's value of $46,222.

The following chart displays the households in Imperial County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Imperial County, CA is from California.

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

0.498

2020 Wage GINI in California

In 2021, the income inequality in California was 0.497 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.12% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (79.5%)
Carpooled (8.56%)
Worked At Home (6.15%)

In 2021, 79.5% of workers in Imperial County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.56%) and those who worked at home (6.15%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Imperial County, CA have a shorter commute time (22 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.16% of the workforce in Imperial County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Imperial County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Imperial County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Imperial County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 26.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Imperial County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 1.23%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

21% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Imperial County, CA (35.7k out of 170k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 6 - 11, followed by Males < 5 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Imperial County, CA is Hispanic, followed by White and Other.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 24.9% of the children was living in poverty in Imperial County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 8.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 366 in Imperial County, CA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 40.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

93.4% of the population of Imperial County, CA has health coverage, with 33% on employee plans, 43.6% on Medicaid, 7.46% on Medicare, 8.11% on non-group plans, and 1.24% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see 4027 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.346% decrease from the previous year (4041 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3108 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 565 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

4,027 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Imperial County, CA

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see an average of 4,027 patients per year. This represents a 0.346% decrease from the previous year (4,041 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Imperial County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 32.3% under 18 years, 21.1% between 18 and 34 years, 33.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.6%

Uninsured

33%

Employer Coverage

43.6%

Medicaid

7.46%

Medicare

8.11%

Non-Group

1.24%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Imperial County, CA declined by 6.09% from 7.03% to 6.6%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Imperial County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 34.3 in Imperial County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Imperial County, CA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 35.9% in Imperial County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Imperial County, CA.

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