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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Imperial County

California · 142,361 residents · 4,176 sq mi
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The short version

Imperial County is home to 142,361 people in California. 10% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. That trails the California median by roughly 33%. The median age is 31.0, younger than the US median of 35.2. 22.6% of people here live below the federal poverty line. The population is up 30% since 1990.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 31.0
US median: 35.2
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
142,361
+30%since 1990
from 109,303 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
31.0
+8%since 1990
from 28.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
4,176 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
102K124K145K166K188K19902000201020202024Imperial County
2024180K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.7%(10,902)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 99%(12,768)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 149.3%(13,224)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.7%(12,320)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.8%(9,645)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.7%(20,908)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.7%(22,393)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5411.3%(16,150)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 646.8%(9,746)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.9%(8,401)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843.3%(4,691)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over0.9%(1,213)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$31,870
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $22,442 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,239
+44%since 1990
from $9,208 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
22.6%
−1.2 ptssince 1990
from 23.8% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$93,800
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $72,100 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$504
−3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $394 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
58.3%
+0.8 ptssince 1990
from 57.6% in 1990
41.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic67.4%(73,620)
Black2.6%(2,837)
Hispanic / Latino65.3%(71,365)
Asian2%(2,171)
2000
White, non-Hispanic20.2%(28,768)
Black3.6%(5,148)
Hispanic / Latino72.2%(102,817)
Asian1.7%(2,446)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican82.9%(149,370)
Central American0.9%(1,647)
Salvadoran0.5%(872)
Spaniard0.4%(765)
Guatemalan0.2%(450)
Puerto Rican0.2%(434)
Nicaraguan0.1%(192)
Colombian0.1%(165)
Dominican0.1%(138)
Cuban0.1%(121)
Argentine0%(83)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0%(81)
Peruvian0%(61)
Chilean0%(17)
Asian origin
Filipino0.5%(859)
Chinese0.3%(516)
Japanese0.3%(458)
Korean0.2%(404)
Cambodian0.1%(138)
Asian Indian0.1%(110)
Taiwanese0%(37)
Hmong0%(36)
Laotian0%(15)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Thai0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.3%(601)
Fijian0%(86)
Chamorro0%(51)
Tongan0%(14)
Ancestry
English2.1%(3,765)
Irish1.7%(3,134)
German1.7%(3,125)
American1.5%(2,624)
Italian0.7%(1,304)
French0.3%(555)
Scottish0.2%(445)
Norwegian0.2%(385)
West Indian0.2%(327)
Portuguese0.2%(300)
Jamaican0.2%(292)
+ 38 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.2%(279)
Dutch0.1%(265)
Swedish0.1%(215)
Polish0.1%(212)
British0.1%(189)
Arab0.1%(143)
Hungarian0.1%(132)
Canadian0.1%(102)
Scotch-Irish0.1%(97)
Czech0%(87)
Danish0%(86)
Welsh0%(79)
Slovak0%(60)
Ghanaian0%(50)
Ukrainian0%(47)
Ethiopian0%(45)
Nigerian0%(45)
Armenian0%(35)
Russian0%(34)
Greek0%(32)
Jordanian0%(30)
Egyptian0%(26)
Slovene0%(25)
Lebanese0%(18)
Croatian0%(13)
Iranian0%(13)
Haitian0%(13)
Belgian0%(11)
Finnish0%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
10.3%
+0.6 ptssince 1990
from 9.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
59.0%
+5.8 ptssince 1990
from 53.2% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
3.7%
+0.1 ptssince 1990
from 3.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.5 min
−19%since 1990
from 16.7 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.7%(15,957)
Married63.1%(35,038)
Widowed2.4%(1,306)
Divorced5.8%(3,223)
Women 15+
Never married25.2%(12,575)
Married56.7%(28,337)
Widowed10.2%(5,109)
Divorced7.9%(3,944)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
6.0%
−15.3 ptssince 2013
from 21.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
36.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 37.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
7.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 8.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
15.5%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
49.8%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 46.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
43.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 44.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
58.2%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 55.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)29.6%(1,316)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)28.2%(1,254)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27.7%(1,231)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.6%(291)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(30)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,439 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Imperial County

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Pop 171,666
Muscogee County
Pop 202,171
Saginaw County
Pop 187,688
Vanderburgh County
Pop 181,995
Places similar to Imperial County
Head to head

Compare Imperial County to nearby counties

IMPERIAL COUNTY VS
Riverside County
Income$93,074+192%
Home value$557,300+494%
Population2,544,916+1303%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IMPERIAL COUNTY VS
San Diego County
Income$106,268+233%
Home value$854,700+811%
Population3,282,248+1709%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IMPERIAL COUNTY VS
Yuma County
Income$62,876+97%
Home value$217,800+132%
Population224,449+24%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
IMPERIAL COUNTY VS
La Paz County
Income$49,478+55%
Home value$135,800+45%
Population16,711−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Imperial County, California?

Imperial County, California has about 142,361 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Imperial County, California?

The typical household in Imperial County, California earns about $31,870 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Imperial County, California expensive?

In Imperial County, California, the median home is worth about $93,800, and the typical rent is about $504 a month.

How educated are people in Imperial County, California?

About 10.3% of adults age 25 and over in Imperial County, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Imperial County, California?

About 22.6% of people in Imperial County, California live below the federal poverty line.

Has Imperial County, California grown since 1990?

Yes, Imperial County, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 33,058 residents, a change of about 30 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →