HomeCaliforniaImperial County
Imperial County, California
54.5% of the county is in drought on the October 13, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 2 flood losses here since 2016.
39% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1988.
Data as of October 13, 2026 · sources
in drought, October 13, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Drought
54.5% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the October 13, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 17 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 100% of its area, in 4 weeks, most recently on the November 11, 2025 map.
| Category, October 13, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 100% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 54.5% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
2 flood losses since 2016, $34,256 paid. The worst year was 2023, with 1.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 3.17 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 2.86 in (-0.31) |
| 2025 | 3.90 in (+0.73) |
| Wettest year since 1895 | 1905: 8.07 in |
| Driest year since 1895 | 1956: 0.41 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at IMPERIAL (18 mi away) | 0.1 |
Homes
| Housing units | 58,044 |
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Built before 1980 | 39% |
| Built 2000 or later | 32% |
| Owner-occupied | 57% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $309,600 |
| Single-family detached | 62% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside County, CA | 63 mi | 3% | 5% |
| San Diego County, CA | 82 mi | 17% | 1% |
| Yuma County, AZ | 86 mi | 1% | under 1% |
| La Paz County, AZ | 90 mi | 2% | under 1% |
| San Bernardino County, CA | 134 mi | 1% | under 1% |
| Orange County, CA | 146 mi | 14% | 3% |
| Maricopa County, AZ | 166 mi | 3% | 1% |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 185 mi | 4% | under 1% |
Sources: US Drought Monitor (October 13, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status