The Town FilesBrawley, California
City in Imperial County · population 26,416 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $290,700
- Household income
- $59,311
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 108°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 30.6
Brawley is a city of 26,416 people in Imperial County, California. The median home is worth $290,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 74% of California towns.
How Brawley 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 Brawley is worth $290,700, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.9 times the median household income of $59,311, which is more affordable than 78% of California towns. Median rent is $988 a month. 51.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brawley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $290,700 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $988 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $59,311 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.9× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 51.6% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Brawley
| People | Brawley | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.6 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.3% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 93.3% |
Weather in Brawley
July highs average 108.2°F and January lows 41.4°F. About 2.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 181 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 6 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brawley since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 5, 1992 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 5, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 27, 2010.
Severe weather in Imperial County since 1996
Imperial County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Imperial County
Imperial County had 67,166 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,639 a year. Unemployment was 17.3% in 2023; in Brawley itself the ACS puts it at 15.5%.
Public schools in Brawley
10 public schools with 6,106 students, about 22.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brawley Union High | 9-12 | 1,840 | 23.9 |
| Barbara Worth Junior High | 7-8 | 916 | 21.3 |
| Phil D. Swing Elementary | K-6 | 856 | 22.5 |
| Myron D. Witter Elementary | K-6 | 828 | 23.0 |
| J. W. Oakley Elementary | K-6 | 755 | 22.9 |
| Miguel Hidalgo Elementary | K-6 | 546 | 22.8 |
| Desert Valley High (Continuation) | 9-12 | 165 | 20.6 |
| Magnolia Union Elementary | K-8 | 114 | 19.0 |
| Mulberry Elementary | K-8 | 69 | 17.3 |
| Renaissance | 9-12 | 17 | 17.0 |
Towns near Brawley
- Imperial, CA10.0 mi · 20,263 people · home $360,900
- Calipatria, CA13.4 mi · 6,515 people · home $197,200
- El Centro, CA13.4 mi · 44,322 people · home $323,100
- Holtville, CA14.3 mi · 5,605 people · home $310,100
- Heber, CA17.0 mi · 6,896 people · home $335,600
- Calexico, CA20.4 mi · 38,633 people · home $313,600
Brawley questions
Is Brawley, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brawley scores better for retirees than 13% of California towns and quieter than 14%. 11.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.6).
How much does a house cost in Brawley?
The median owner-occupied home in Brawley is valued at $290,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,311, so homes cost about 4.9 times income. Median rent is $988 a month.
What is the weather like in Brawley?
July highs average 108.2°F and January lows 41.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 2.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Brawley get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brawley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 5, 1992. 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)