Imperial Beach, California
Among the top 4% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 4% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 96% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 29% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 44% of US places
- top 1% for comfortable days
- top 3% for walkability
- bottom 1% for air quality
Imperial Beach is a mid-size city in California with about 26,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include comfortable days, walkability, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on cost of living and air quality.
Official websiteimperialbeachca.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Mild winters · Dry
comfortable
warm
comfortable
78%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.4 in0.1 in
humid 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$76k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$78kbetter than 2% of US places
Home Value$744k96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 8% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 11% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.52%better than 87% of US places
Income Tax13.30%better than 3% of US places
Sales Tax8.85%better than 19% of US places
Estimated total tax burden21.32%better than 3% of US places
Unemployment7.2%better than 24% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)57°F96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation8.6 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.0 inbetter than 94% of US places
Sunny Days228 daysbetter than 43% of US places
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 70% of US places
Comfortable Days296 daysbetter than 99% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk53.9better than 66% of US places
Air Quality59 AQIbetter than 1% of US places
School Quality71.9better than 68% of US places
Violent Crime1215/100kbetter than 27% of US places
Property Crime1057/100kbetter than 45% of US places
Community
Population26,15795th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.718th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6496th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0463rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+2312th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)32.4%11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)4.1%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)52.8%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.2%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 41% of US places
Walkability13.7/20better than 97% of US places
Airport Distance13 mibetter than 94% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.1%better than 68% of US places
Amenities Nearby116.60better than 58% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 19% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Imperial Beach an affordable place to live?
- Imperial Beach is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $78k, better than 2% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Imperial Beach?
- The median home value in Imperial Beach is $744k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Imperial Beach?
- Median household income in Imperial Beach is $76k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Imperial Beach?
- Median gross rent in Imperial Beach is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Imperial Beach safe?
- Imperial Beach is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1215/100k (better than 27%). Property crime is 1057/100k.
- What is the weather like in Imperial Beach?
- Imperial Beach averages 69°F in July and 57°F in January, with 8.6 in of annual precipitation and about 228 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Imperial Beach?
- Public-school quality in Imperial Beach is above average, scoring better than 68% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Imperial Beach?
- The average one-way commute in Imperial Beach is 27 min.
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)