Map the Block › Places › California › Imperial County
Imperial County, California in numbers: crime, income, hazards
The violent-crime rate in Imperial County was 2.7 per 1,000 residents (2021-2025 average, FBI), 44% lower than the statewide rate (4.8). Median household income is $57,681 and the unemployment rate was 21.9% in August 2026. About 180,202 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Imperial County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 491 violent and 1,987 property crimes per year. Per 1,000 residents, the violent-crime rate works out to 2.7: 44% lower than the California rate (4.8), and 27% lower than the national rate (3.7). Burglary, theft and car theft together come to 11.0 per 1,000 residents, compared with 21.2 across California. Aggravated assaults make up 78% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 10 homicide deaths a year in the county (5.5 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Imperial County | Per 1,000 | California per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 491 | 2.7 | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 7 | 0.04 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 43 | 0.24 | 0.37 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 58 | 0.32 | 1.2 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 382 | 2.1 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 1,987 | 11.0 | 21.2 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 450 | 2.5 | 3.3 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 1,160 | 6.4 | 13.6 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 377 | 2.1 | 4.3 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (8 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Imperial County?
Half of households in Imperial County make more than $57,681 and half make less; across California the midpoint is $99,122. Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $309,600, and the median rent is $1,056 a month. 28.7% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 12.4%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 21.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 16,676 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Imperial County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 180,202 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $57,681 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $309,600 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,056 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 12.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 19.5% | 12.0% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 28.7% | 12.4% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 16.1% | 37.1% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 56.8% | 55.9% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 33.2 | 37.9 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 90.1% | 93.5% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 6.0% | 6.6% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Imperial County?
Imperial County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Among the hazards we show, the highest-rated are river flooding (Relatively High) and earthquakes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Imperial County: Stoker Chemical. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
Imperial County has 5 dams classed as high hazard in the National Inventory of Dams. Tallest on the list: Senator Wash Dam (96 ft) and Senator Wash-Xanyō Xamshré Dike (95 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
5 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 262,831 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Imperial County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Hurricane 1, Severe Storm 1), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 50 of 366 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 30 community water systems, 14 had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 3 (low). NHTSA counted 26 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 4 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Imperial County?
The state DOT feed had no interstate, U.S. or state highway work zones in Imperial County on October 11, 2026. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel. The map's layer refreshes every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Imperial County?
Federal school lists show 76 public and 8 private schools in the county. 3 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 21 fire or EMS stations and 13 police or sheriff stations. 2 state parks or recreation areas: Heber Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area and Picacho State Recreation Area.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Imperial County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Imperial County: Torres-Martinez Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land, Fort Yuma Indian Reservation and Cocopah Reservation.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Imperial County
Gun shops
One gun shop with a public storefront is on the map in Imperial County, plus 6 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Pistol Pete's Guns & Ammo (El Centro).
Liquor stores
10 liquor stores are on the map in Imperial County: 86 Meat And Liquor Mart (Desert Shores), Bevmo! (El Centro), Brawley Liquor (Brawley), El Centro Liquor (El Centro), Fillco 1 (Brawley), Javier's Liquor (Brawley), Johnnys Liquor (Westmorland), Wake Liquor 2 (El Centro) and 2 more.
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Imperial County: Planned Parenthood (El Centro).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Imperial County?
Imperial County averaged 491 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 2.7 per 1,000 residents, 44% lower than the California rate (4.8). The property-crime rate was 11.0 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Imperial County?
$57,681 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $99,122 for California and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Imperial County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 21.9% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 16,676 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Imperial County?
Imperial County carries a “Relatively High” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. Among the hazards we show, the highest-rated are river flooding (Relatively High) and earthquakes (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Imperial County?
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Imperial County: Stoker Chemical.
Is there road construction in Imperial County right now?
The state DOT feed had no interstate, U.S. or state highway work zones in Imperial County on October 11, 2026. Some states publish only part of their road work in open feeds, so check the state's 511 site before you travel.
How many nursing homes are in Imperial County?
3 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Imperial County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz County, AZ | 16,664 | 2.8 | $49,478 |
| Riverside County | 2,478,600 | 3.0 | $93,074 |
| San Diego County | 3,288,774 | 3.9 | $106,268 |
| Yuma County, AZ | 211,741 | 3.2 | $62,876 |
More: California statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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