With 25,764 people, Imperial Beach is a city in California. Owners hold 31% of the housing stock. Home values have more than tripled since 2000, reaching $857,000. There are 6,006 people per square mile. The median age is 35.1, younger than the US median of 38.9. 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Average income
median household income $86,111, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 180%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Imperial Beach
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$345,850 → $857,000(+148%)US over the same years: +67%
Hispanic share28.0% → 53.0%(+25.0 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
White share58.7% → 32.6%(−26.1 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)52.4%(949)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)44.1%(798)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era18.3%(332)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0.6%(11)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,810 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Imperial Beach, decade by decade
Imperial Beach population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
26,512
$63,515
$345,850
12.1%
71.1
2000
26,992
$65,365
$306,038
11.7%
80.2
2010
26,324
$65,337
$583,484
15.8%
77.9
2020
26,137
$72,474
$719,224
24.0%
77.6
2024
25,764
$86,111
$857,000
26.7%
75.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
