Imperial County, California Income Statistics
Imperial County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Imperial County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Imperial County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $57,720 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,317 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.2% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.6% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Imperial County is about 42% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Imperial County (3.9%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Imperial County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Imperial County, California grew by 52.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $57,720 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Imperial County
| Metric | Imperial County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.634 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,059 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,659 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.6% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Imperial County, it is 0.634, higher than California's 0.572, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Imperial County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $364,000 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Imperial County, California has narrowed from about 31% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,287 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Imperial County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 12.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.2% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 8,904 people are unemployed in Imperial County, California.
The average commute time in Imperial County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Imperial County, California has fallen from 16.4% to 12.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 18.4% in 2013.
Imperial County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Imperial County, CA is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 180,111 residents against a local median of 2,193,778. The measure that sets Imperial County, CA apart most is unemployment: 12.5%, 89% above the local median of 6.6%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $57,720 against a local median of $86,328, 33% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Imperial County, CA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.2% on unemployment, so Imperial County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Imperial County, CA has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial County, CA | 180,111 | $57,720 #5/6 | 3.9%/yr #6/6 | 12.5% #6/6 | 0.634 #6/6 |
| Riverside County, CA | 2,477,722 | $93,715 | 6.2%/yr | 6.5% | 0.577 |
| San Diego County, CA | 3,282,387 | $106,588 | 6.0%/yr | 5.8% | 0.552 |
| Yuma County, AZ | 211,723 | $63,384 | 5.4%/yr | 6.6% | 0.558 |
| La Paz County, AZ | 16,663 | $49,467 | 4.1%/yr | 10.0% | 0.502 |
| San Bernardino County, CA | 2,193,778 | $86,328 | 5.8%/yr | 7.0% | 0.583 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Imperial County, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Imperial County, California.
How Wealthy Is Imperial County, California?
Imperial County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $57,720, about 42% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Imperial County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Imperial County, California rose 53%, from $37,847 to $57,720. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +53% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Imperial County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Imperial County, California was $56,138, up 4% from $53,866 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Imperial County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Imperial County, California was $46,141. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $57,720.
Is unemployment high in Imperial County, California?
Unemployment in Imperial County, California is 12.5%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Imperial County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Imperial County is 0.634. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Imperial County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Imperial County, California has narrowed from about 31% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,287 since 2009.
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