The Town FilesImperial Beach, California
City in San Diego County · population 26,137 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $857,000
- Household income
- $86,111
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 35.1
Imperial Beach is a city of 26,137 people in San Diego County, California. The median home is worth $857,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of California towns, more walkable than 89% of California towns, more seaside character than 89% of California towns.
How Imperial Beach ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Imperial Beach is worth $857,000, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 10.0 times the median household income of $86,111, which is more affordable than 9% of California towns. Median rent is $2,011 a month. 31.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Imperial Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $857,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $2,011 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $86,111 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 31.3% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Imperial Beach
| People | Imperial Beach | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 93.3% |
Weather in Imperial Beach
July highs average 73.2°F and January lows 47.4°F. About 8.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Imperial Beach since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 13, 1956 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on February 23, 2005.
Severe weather in San Diego County since 1996
San Diego County has been included in 51 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2024 | Flood | DR-4758: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| October 16, 2020 | Fire | DR-4569: Wildfires |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in San Diego County
San Diego County had 1,536,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $82,854 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Imperial Beach itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Imperial Beach
28 public schools with 15,765 students, about 21.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery Senior High | 9-12 | 1,658 | 21.8 |
| Southwest Senior High | 9-12 | 1,586 | 22.3 |
| Mar Vista Senior High | 9-12 | 1,266 | 22.6 |
| Nestor Language Academy Charter (charter) | K-8 | 1,070 | 24.9 |
| Imperial Beach Charter (charter) | K-8 | 750 | 23.4 |
| Montgomery Middle | 7-8 | 735 | 22.3 |
| Willow Elementary | K-6 | 686 | 20.2 |
| George Nicoloff Elementary | K-6 | 606 | 21.6 |
| Launch Virtual Academy | 7-12 | 581 | 16.6 |
| Smythe Elementary | K-6 | 561 | 21.6 |
| San Ysidro Middle | 7-8 | 548 | 19.6 |
| Sunset Elementary | K-6 | 522 | 23.7 |
Towns near Imperial Beach
- Coronado, CA6.8 mi · 20,192 people · home $2,000,001
- National City, CA7.0 mi · 56,173 people · home $612,200
- Chula Vista, CA7.2 mi · 275,487 people · home $758,700
- Bonita, CA9.8 mi · 12,917 people · home $962,800
- La Presa, CA12.0 mi · 35,033 people · home $629,700
- Lemon Grove, CA12.5 mi · 27,627 people · home $705,400
- Spring Valley, CA13.9 mi · 30,998 people · home $714,700
- La Mesa, CA15.1 mi · 61,121 people · home $812,000
Imperial Beach questions
Is Imperial Beach, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Imperial Beach scores better for retirees than 20% of California towns and quieter than 3%. 12.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Imperial Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Imperial Beach is valued at $857,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,111, so homes cost about 10.0 times income. Median rent is $2,011 a month.
What is the weather like in Imperial Beach?
July highs average 73.2°F and January lows 47.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Imperial Beach get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Imperial Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 13, 1956. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)