PlainZIP

Imperial, CA · standard

ZIP Code 92251

Imperial County, California - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

21,583
42/sq mi
$90,709
Median income
$368,700
Median home value
18.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Imperial pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 26%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 24%
home value, US ZIPs
42
people per sq mi
70%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 92251 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 92251 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Imperial, Imperial County, California, with 21,583 residents across 516.3 square miles, a density of 42 people per square mile, in the Los Angeles time zone.

ZIP 92251 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $90,709 (11% below the California average), while per-capita income is $27,511. The poverty rate stands at 13.7% and the unemployment rate at 7.7%. The typical home here is valued at $368,700 (52% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,242 monthly, and 70.2% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.5, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 2 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 92251, plus 6 more within Imperial County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 92251

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Imperial, CA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 92251.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 92251, Imperial, CA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

21,583

Population

516.3

Area (sq mi)

42

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 92251?

33.5

Median Age

55.0%

Male

45.0%

Female

22.9%

Foreign-Born

White 24.6%
African American 3.0%
Asian 2.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 37.2%
Hispanic or Latino 83.4%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$90,709

Median Household Income

-11% vs state

$27,511

Per Capita Income

13.7%

Poverty Rate

7.7%

Unemployment Rate

21.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 92251 ranks nationally

Imperial, CA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$90,709 Top 26% higher than 74% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 42.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

7,575

Total Housing Units

6,760

Occupied Units

815

Vacant Units

3.61

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 70.2%
Renter 29.8%

$368,700

Median Home Value

-52% vs state

$1,242

Median Rent

2000

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+6.7%

YoY Change (2024)

281

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+181%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 92251 have increased 6.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +181% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.9% 191
2021 +13.4% 217
2022 +13.0% 245
2023 +7.4% 264
2024 +6.7% 281

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 265 business establishments in ZIP 92251, employing approximately 2,750 people with a combined annual payroll of $155,509,000.

265

Businesses

2,750

Employees

$155.5M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 43 16.2%
Construction 32 12.1%
Transportation and warehousing 28 10.6%
Retail trade 24 9.1%
Other services (except public administration) 23 8.7%
Wholesale trade 19 7.2%
Accommodation and food services 19 7.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 6.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 15 5.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 5.3%
Finance and insurance 8 3.0%
Manufacturing 6 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 92251 vs 92273 →

ZIP 92251 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 92251 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 92251 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 92251 ranks the highest of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
92273 Seeley, CA 1,823 3.8 mi
92243 El Centro, CA 48,030 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Imperial County

92243 standard
El Centro, CA
Pop: 48,030
92231 standard
Calexico, CA
Pop: 39,073
92227 standard
Brawley, CA
Pop: 26,234
92250 standard
Holtville, CA
Pop: 8,285
92233 standard
Calipatria, CA
Pop: 8,099
92249 standard
Heber, CA
Pop: 7,334

Related Areas

Imperial County Imperial, CA California

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 92251 in? ▼
ZIP code 92251 (Imperial) is located in Imperial County, California. Imperial County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/imperial-ca.
What is the population of ZIP code 92251? ▼
ZIP code 92251 in Imperial, CA has a population of 21,583 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 92251? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 92251 is $90,709, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 92251? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 92251 is $368,700, which is 33% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 92251? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 92251 is Two or More Ethnicities at 37.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 83.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 92251? ▼
ZIP code 92251 has 265 business establishments employing approximately 2,750 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 92251? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 92251 are: Health care and social assistance (43), Construction (32), Transportation and warehousing (28). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 92251? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 92251 increased by 6.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 181%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 92251? ▼
In ZIP code 92251, 42.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 92251? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 92251 is 21.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 92251? ▼
In ZIP code 92251, approximately 70.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 92251? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 92251 is 13.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.