Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Imperial County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $270,324 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 19.1% | 10.0% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,011 | $1,955 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.9% | 6.0% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Imperial County is about 58% lower than in California. Rent is about 48% lower than the California average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Imperial County, up about 19.1% and 3.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Imperial County rose about 32.1% between 2015 and 2023, from $766 to $1,011. Over the same span, rent in California rose about 55.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.8 yearly household incomes in Imperial County.
Buying the median-priced home in Imperial County costs roughly 22.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Imperial County. The price-to-rent ratio in California is about 27.4.
| Metric | Imperial County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $270,324 | $642,203 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $56,138 | $96,718 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.8 | 6.6 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Imperial County rose about 192.3%, while median household income rose about 48.3% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Imperial County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 48.2% | 51.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 36.7% | 40.9% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 15.1% | 7.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Imperial County has a homeownership rate of 48.2%, lower than the California average of 51.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 15.1%, compared with 7.6% in California.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Imperial County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 3.51 people | 2.85 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1985 | 1975 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Imperial County was built around 1985. On average, 3.5 people live in a home with about 4.9 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Imperial County, California.
What is the median home price in Imperial County, California?
The median home price in Imperial County, California is $270,324, lower than the California average of $642,203.
What is the average home price in Imperial County, California?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Imperial County, California?
The median gross rent in Imperial County, California is $1,011 per month, lower than the California average of $1,955.
What was the median gross rent in Imperial County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Imperial County, California was $846 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Imperial County, California?
The price-to-rent ratio in Imperial County, California is about 22.3, meaning it would take roughly 22.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Imperial County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Imperial County, California?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Imperial County, up about 19.1% and 3.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Imperial County, California?
48.2% of households in Imperial County, California own their home, lower than the California average of 51.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Imperial County, California?
The housing vacancy rate in Imperial County, California is 15.1%, higher than the California average of 7.6%.