Imperial receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Calexico
Imperial
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs39 · Bottom 31%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs57 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 3%
vs9 · Bottom 3%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 11%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
53 · Bottom 5%
vs60 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs47 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Calexico | Imperial | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,585 | 21,430 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,783 | $90,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,600 | $29,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,558/sq mi | 3,398/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $313,600 | $360,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,093 | $1,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.2% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 28.4% | 17.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 22.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.7% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.3% | -37.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 108°F | 108°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 2.4" | 2.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 76 mi | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.6 | 31.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.99 | 22.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.1% | 56.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Calexico
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Imperial
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Calexico, CA · Imperial, CA · How this is calculated: methodology