Imperial Beach, CA

Census place 0636294 · pop 25,764

F31/ 100
💀 Bad
D−
in CA
📍 California ranks #49 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.55% · top 14%
🚽 Own31.3% · bottom 1%
💡 Did you know?

The southernmost incorporated city on the West Coast of the contiguous United States.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.55% property · US 0.99%8.99% sales · US 7.00%up to 13.30% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership31.3%1

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

31.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Air quality (AQI)County-level71 AQI5

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

71 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1006

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level52 days6

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

52 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Housing cost$857,0006

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$857,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$3,091/mo7

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$3,091/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Population growth (5yr)-5.7%7

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-5.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Violent crime rate535/100k15

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

535 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Poor mental health18.8%24

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Uninsured adults13.0%26

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

13.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Commute time27 min30

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

27 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.1%32

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poverty rate14.8%35

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

14.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Bachelor's degree or higher26.7%42

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

26.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Income inequality0.4444

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Broadband access91.3%48

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Physical inactivity25.4%48

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

25.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Adult smoking12.7%55

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

12.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$86,11163

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$86,111 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Property crime rate642/100k78

U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities

642 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Adult obesity29.0%80

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

29.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Property-tax burden0.55%86

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.55% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Frequently asked

Is Imperial Beach, CA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Imperial Beach scores 31/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is homeownership. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Imperial Beach, CA?
Imperial Beach reports 535 violent crimes per 100k and 642 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Imperial Beach, CA expensive to live in?
Imperial Beach has a median home value of $857,000 and typical rent around $3,091/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Imperial Beach, CA?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (31.3%) — 1/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Imperial Beach, CA best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.55%) — 86/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: The southernmost incorporated city on the West Coast of the contiguous United States.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.