Is Imperial County, CA good for real estate investing?

Imperial County has an investment score of 57/100, rated as "Hold". The county ranks #605 nationally among 1000 counties analyzed.

What is the rent-to-price ratio in Imperial?

The rent-to-price ratio in Imperial County is 5.29% annually, which ranks in the 32th percentile nationally. Higher ratios indicate better cash flow potential.

What is the median home price in Imperial?

The median home price in Imperial County is $367,307. This ranks #751 in affordability among all US counties.

Can you cash flow on rental properties in Imperial?

Based on median values with 20% down at current rates, a typical rental in Imperial County would generate negative cash flow of $873/month. Individual property performance varies based on purchase price, rent, and operating expenses.

Imperial County

CaliforniaPopulation: 179,578

/100

Hold

#605 of 1,000 counties

#6 in California (58 counties)

Market Snapshot

$367,307

Median Home Price

34% above national median

$1,619/mo

Median Rent

8% above national median

5.29%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Top 68% nationally

-$873

Est. Monthly Cash Flow

With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Trend based on YoY growth rate. Source: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$367,307

Down Payment (20%)$73,461

Loan Amount$293,846

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,619

Monthly P&I-$1,925

Est. Expenses (35%)-$567

Net Cash Flow-$873/mo

3.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-12.4%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.29%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.4% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

57/100

Cash Flow(30%)

49/100

Based on 5.29% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

92/100

Based on 7.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

32/100

Price-to-income ratio of 6.8x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. Markets with missing rent data use estimated values based on regional averages.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

+Strong price appreciation (+7.0% YoY)
+Complete rent data available

Challenges

-Below-average rent-to-price ratio (5.29%)
-Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$873/mo)
-Negative leverage (cap rate 3.4% < mortgage rate 6.9%)
-High price-to-income ratio makes financing challenging

Economic Indicators

Population

179,578

Median Income

$53,847

vs $62,400 national est.

Unemployment Rate

—

Data pending

Price-to-Income

6.8x

Less affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

County					Verdict
LassenCA	59	$224,596	$1,241	6.63%	Hold	View
KingsCA	59	$354,148	$1,757	5.95%	Hold	View
CurrentImperialCA	57	$367,307	$1,619	5.29%	Hold
MaderaCA	57	$416,542	$2,264	6.52%	Hold	View
TulareCA	55	$353,817	$1,757	5.96%	Hold	View
TehamaCA	54	$308,053	$1,588	6.18%	Hold	View

The Bottom Line

HoldImperial is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Imperial County in California scores 57/100, ranking #605 of 1,000 US counties (top 60%). The 5.29% rent-to-price ratio may require creative strategies or below-market purchases for positive cash flow. Current market conditions make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or all-cash purchases.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-873/mo

Cap Rate

3.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-12.4%

Ready to Analyze a Deal in Imperial?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties.

Single Family1-4 unit rentals, BRRRR House HackOwner-occupied strategy Multifamily5+ unit properties

Explore Other Markets

Quick Investment Calculator

Down Payment20%

5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$367,307

Down Payment (20%)$73,461

Loan Amount$293,846

Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,619

Monthly P&I-$1,925

Est. Expenses (35%)-$567

Net Cash Flow-$873/mo

3.4%

Cap Rate (all cash)

-12.4%

Cash-on-Cash Return

5.29%

Rent-to-Price Ratio

Negative leverage: At 6.85% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 3.4% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on county median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Actual results vary by property.

Run Full Analysis Try House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score

57/100

Cash Flow(30%)

49/100

Based on 5.29% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)

92/100

Based on 7.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)

50/100

Population data not available.

Affordability(20%)

32/100

Price-to-income ratio of 6.8x. Lower ratios indicate more affordable markets.

County

Verdict

LassenCA

$224,596

$1,241

6.63%

Hold

View

KingsCA

$354,148

$1,757

5.95%

Hold

View

CurrentImperialCA

$367,307

$1,619

5.29%

Hold

MaderaCA

$416,542

$2,264

6.52%

Hold

View

TulareCA

$353,817

$1,757

5.96%

Hold

View

TehamaCA

$308,053

$1,588

6.18%

Hold

View

The Bottom Line

HoldImperial is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals.

Monthly Cash Flow

$-873/mo

Cap Rate

3.4%

Cash-on-Cash

-12.4%