Imperial County, CA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Imperial County, California is about $393,000 (the 2026 median across 13 ZIP codes, at ~$247/sq ft) — 43% more affordable than the California median and 36% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Imperial County compares
Imperial County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $393,000 against $688,000 for California and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $167,000 to $775,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial County | $393,000 | $247 |
| California | $688,000 | $451 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Imperial County home prices by ZIP code
The 13 most valuable ZIP codes in Imperial County (of 13 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 92259 Ocotillo | $775,000 | $408 | +97% |
| 92273 Seeley | $481,000 | $253 | +22% |
| 92266 Palo Verde | $462,000 | $243 | +18% |
| 92251 Imperial | $444,000 | $282 | +13% |
| 92249 Heber | $419,000 | $601 | +7% |
| 92231 Calexico | $396,000 | $285 | +1% |
| 92281 Westmorland | $393,000 | $207 | +0% |
| 92243 El Centro | $390,000 | $247 | -1% |
| 92227 Brawley | $360,000 | $243 | -8% |
| 92250 Holtville | $358,000 | $319 | -9% |
| 92283 Winterhaven | $357,000 | $188 | -9% |
| 92233 Calipatria | $260,000 | $242 | -34% |
| 92257 Niland | $167,000 | $88 | -58% |
Home value appreciation in Imperial County
Home prices in Imperial County have risen about 109% over the last 10 years (≈7.7% a year) and +61.8% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +7.3% — still rising. A home worth $393,000 today was worth roughly $188,038 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, California is +80.3% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Imperial County
Run the numbers for Imperial County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Imperial County
To buy the typical $393,000 home in Imperial County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $107,000 a year (about $2,490 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $127,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $19,700 | $3,100/mo | $133,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $39,300 | $2,960/mo | $127,000/yr |
| 20% | $78,600 | $2,490/mo | $107,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Imperial County
At about $247 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Imperial County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $200k | 810 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1010 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $300k | 1210 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $400k | 1620 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $500k | 2020 sq ft | around the typical home here |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to California.
Estimate a specific home in Imperial County
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Imperial County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all California cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.