The Town FilesCalipatria, California
City in Imperial County · population 6,515 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $197,200
- Household income
- $53,299
- Jan low / Jul high
- 41° / 108°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 35.7
Calipatria is a city of 6,515 people in Imperial County, California. The median home is worth $197,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 76% of California towns.
How Calipatria 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 Calipatria is worth $197,200, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $53,299, which is more affordable than 94% of California towns. Median rent is $919 a month. 64.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Calipatria | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $197,200 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $919 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $53,299 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.1% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Calipatria
| People | Calipatria | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 14.9 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Calipatria
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
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Calipatria since 1950.
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 Calipatria itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Calipatria
3 public schools with 1,022 students, about 17.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont Primary | K-4 | 352 | 20.7 |
| Bill E. Young Jr. Middle | 5-8 | 336 | 17.7 |
| Calipatria High | 9-12 | 334 | 15.9 |
Towns near Calipatria
- Brawley, CA13.4 mi · 26,416 people · home $290,700
- Imperial, CA23.3 mi · 20,263 people · home $360,900
- Holtville, CA25.3 mi · 5,605 people · home $310,100
- El Centro, CA26.8 mi · 44,322 people · home $323,100
- Salton City, CA28.9 mi · 5,155 people · home $200,600
Calipatria questions
Is Calipatria, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Calipatria scores better for retirees than 14% of California towns and quieter than 58%. 10.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Calipatria?
The median owner-occupied home in Calipatria is valued at $197,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,299, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $919 a month.
What is the weather like in Calipatria?
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 Calipatria get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Calipatria in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)