Imperial County, CA

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Population

179,957

0.643% growth

Median Age

32.2


Median Household Income

$44,779

5.21% growth

Poverty Rate

23.8%


Number of Employees

59,757

2.23% growth

Median Property Value

$167,700

5.47% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Imperial County, CA had a population of 180k people with a median age of 32.2 and a median household income of $44,779. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Imperial County, CA grew from 178,807 to 179,957, a 0.643% increase and its median household income grew from $42,560 to $44,779, a 5.21% increase.

The population of Imperial County, CA is 83.4% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% White Alone, and 2.28% Black or African American Alone. N/A% of the people in Imperial County, CA speak a non-English language, and 83.5% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Imperial County, CA are Imperial Valley College (1,759 degrees awarded in 2017) and CET-El Centro (257 degrees).

The median property value in Imperial County, CA is $167,700, and the homeownership rate is 56.4%. Most people in Imperial County, CA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 19.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Imperial County, CA is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Thomas Hawk

United StatesCaliforniaEl Centro, CA

Economy

The economy of Imperial County, CA employs 59.8k people. The largest industries in Imperial County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (9,008 people), Retail Trade (8,177 people), and Educational Services (6,226 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($83,750), Utilities ($73,673), and Public Administration ($63,929).

Median household income in Imperial County, CA is $44,779. Males in Imperial County, CA have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,252. The income inequality in Imperial County, CA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.5, which is higher than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$44,779

2017 value

± $1,850

5.21%

1 Year Growth

± 5.29%

Households in Imperial County, CA have a median annual income of $44,779, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $42,560 in 2016, which represents a 5.21% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Imperial County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$72,235

Average Male Salary

± $699

$57,252

Average Female Salary

± $582

In 2017, full-time male employees in California made 1.26 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $65,946 ± $1,081

  2. White

    $59,925 ± $556

  3. Two or More Races

    $49,289 ± $1,826

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of California workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.1 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in California by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

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

0.5

2017 Wage GINI

0.5

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in California was 0.5 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.16% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even.

The 2017 the GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 118.03

  2. Census Tract 118.01

  3. Census Tract 112.01

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Imperial County, CA was Census Tract 118.03 with a value of $109,299, followed by Census Tract 118.01 and Census Tract 112.01, with respective values of $94,615 and $87,570.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Males 6 - 11

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

23.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Imperial County, CA (40.4k out of 170k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Females 25 - 34.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. Hispanic

    36,520 ± 1,419

  2. White

    25,797 ± 1,263

  3. Other

    11,564 ± 884

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

59.8k

2017 Value

± 1,965

2.23%

1 Year growth

± 4.48%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Imperial County, CA grew at a rate of 2.23%, from 58.5k employees to 59.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Imperial County, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (7,839 people), Sales & Related Occupations (6,939 people), and Personal Care & Service Occupations (4,326 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Imperial County, CA.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Imperial County, CA, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (7,839 people), Sales & Related Occupations (6,939 people), and Personal Care & Service Occupations (4,326 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Imperial County, CA has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (9.12 times higher than expected), Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (3.59 times), and Personal Care & Service Occupations (1.93 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Imperial County, CA, by median earnings, are Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors ($84,637), Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($83,841), and Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($82,422).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

59.8k

2017 Value

± 1,965

2.23%

1 Year growth

± 4.48%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Imperial County, CA grew at a rate of 2.23%, from 58.5k employees to 59.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Imperial County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (9,008 people), Retail Trade (8,177 people), and Educational Services (6,226 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.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Imperial County, CA, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (9,008 people), Retail Trade (8,177 people), and Educational Services (6,226 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Imperial County, CA has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (7.55 times higher than expected), Utilities (4.59 times), and Public Administration (2.14 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Imperial County, CA, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($83,750), Utilities ($73,673), and Public Administration ($63,929).

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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

  1. Electronics

    $232B

  2. Mixed freight

    $172B

  3. Gasoline

    $136B

In 2015, the top outbound California product (by dollars) was Electronics with $232B, followed by Mixed freight ($172B) and Gasoline ($136B).

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

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for California state.

$1.7T

2020 Value

$2.48T

Projected 2045 Value

46.3% growth

In 2020, total outbound California trade was $1.7T. This is expected to increase 46.3% to $2.48T by 2045.

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

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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

  1. Texas

    $71.8B

  2. Arizona

    $46.9B

  3. Washington

    $34B

In 2015, the top outbound California domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $71.8B, followed by Arizona with $46.9B and Washington and $34B.

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

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Health

88.2% of the population of Imperial County, CA has health coverage, with 35% on employee plans, 37.8% on Medicaid, 6.16% on Medicare, 8.31% on non-group plans, and 0.945% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Imperial County, CA was $7,549 in 2014. This is a 4.04% increase from the previous year ($7,256).

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see 4742 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.27% increase from the previous year (4592 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3015 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 834 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Tehama County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (10.6%). Additionally, Tulare County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (33.4%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

4,742 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Imperial County, CA see an average of 4,742 patients per year. This represents a 3.27% increase from the previous year (4,592 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 neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

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

$7,549

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$4,735

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$5,368

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,833

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in California (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.04%, from $7,256 to $7,549.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

11.8%

Uninsured

35%

Employer Coverage

37.8%

Medicaid

6.16%

Medicare

8.31%

Non-Group

0.945%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Imperial County, CA declined by 20.2% from 14.8% to 11.8%.

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.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Tehama County

    10.6% prevalence

  2. San Joaquin County

    10.5% prevalence

  3. Alpine County

    10.3% prevalence

Tehama County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in California, at 10.6%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in California by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Imperial County, CA is home to a population of 180k people, from which 83.5% are citizens. As of 2017, 31.7% of Imperial County, CA residents were born outside of the country (57k people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Imperial County, CA is composed of 150k Hispanic or Latino residents (83.4%), 20.4k White Alone residents (11.3%), 4.11k Black or African American Alone residents (2.28%), 2.26k Asian Alone residents (1.26%), 1.73k Two or More Races residents (0.96%), 1.09k American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.604%), 152 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0845%), and 138 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0767%).

Age

Age by Nativity

23

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.3

50

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.5

In 2017, the median age of all people in Imperial County, CA was 32.2. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 23, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 50. But people in Imperial County, CA are getting staying the same age. In 2016, the average age of all Imperial County, CA residents was 32.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

31.7%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

57k people

31.8%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

56.9k people

As of 2017, 31.7% of Imperial County, CA residents (57k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Imperial County, CA was 31.8%, 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.

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Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    4,212,695 ± 47,591 people

  2. Philippines

    836,199 ± 22,209 people

  3. China

    612,429 ± 19,062 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 4,212,695 California residents, followed by Philippines with 836,199 and China with 612,429.

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Citizenship

83.5%

2017 Citizenship

83.1%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 83.5% of Imperial County, CA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Imperial County, CA was 83.1%, 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.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. Hispanic or Latino

    150k ± 4.26k

  2. White Alone

    20.4k ± 119

  3. Black or African American Alone

    4.11k ± 318

In 2017, there were 7.37 times more Hispanic or Latino residents (150k people) in Imperial County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 20.4k White Alone and 4.11k Black or African American Alone residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Imperial County, CA as a share of the total population.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    1,867 ± 271

  2. Gulf War (2001-)

    1,045 ± 237

  3. Gulf War (1990s)

    484 ± 144

Imperial County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.79 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Imperial County, CA awarded 2,016 degrees. The student population of Imperial County, CA is skewed towards women, with 3,972 male students and 4,699 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Imperial County, CA are Hispanic or Latino (1,878 and 93.2%), followed by Unknown (76 and 3.77%), White (50 and 2.48%), and Asian (5 and 0.248%).

The largest universities in Imperial County, CA by number of degrees awarded are Imperial Valley College (1,759 and 87.3%) and CET-El Centro (257 and 12.7%).

The most popular majors in Imperial County, CA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (536 and 26.6%), Biological & Physical Sciences (206 and 10.2%), and Criminal Justice - Police Science (170 and 8.43%).

The median tuition costs in Imperial County, CA are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Biological & Physical Sciences

    206 degrees awarded

  2. Liberal Arts & Sciences

    168 degrees awarded

  3. Criminal Justice - Police Science

    161 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Imperial County, CA was Biological & Physical Sciences with 206 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

  1. Imperial Valley College

    1,759 degrees awarded

  2. CET-El Centro

    257 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Imperial County, CA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Imperial Valley College with 1,759 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

839

Degrees Awarded to Men

1,177

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 839 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Imperial County, CA, which is 0.713 times less than the 1,177 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Imperial County, CA by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. Hispanic or Latino

    1,878 degrees awarded

  2. Unknown

    76 degrees awarded

  3. White

    50 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Imperial County, CA were to Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,878 degrees mean that there were 24.7 times more Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 76 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Imperial County, CA was $167,700 in 2017, which is 0.73 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $159,000 to $167,700, a 5.47% increase. The homeownership rate in Imperial County, CA is 56.4%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in Imperial County, CA have an average commute time of 19.9 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Imperial County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$167,700

2017 Median

± $3,108

$159,000

2016 Median

± $3,067

In 2017, the median property value in Imperial County, CA grew to to $167,700 from the previous year's value of $159,000.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Imperial County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Imperial County, CA the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

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Household Income

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

$44,779

Median Household Income

± $1,850

45.2k

Number of Households

± 1,501

In 2017, the median household income of the 45.2k households in Imperial County, CA grew to $44,779 from the previous year's value of $42,560.

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.

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Property Taxes

$800 - $1,499

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Imperial County, CA 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.

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Rent vs Own

56.4%

2017 Homeownership

55.8%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 56.4% of the housing units in Imperial County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 55.8%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Imperial County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

19.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Imperial County, CA have a shorter commute time (19.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 2.73% 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.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    81.4%

  2. Carpooled

    8.84%

  3. Worked At Home

    4.38%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Imperial County, CA was Drove Alone (81.4%), followed by those who Carpooled (8.84%) and those who Worked At Home (4.38%).

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.

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Transportation

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, followed by 3 cars.

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