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Market MapCaliforniaImperial

Imperial County

CaliforniaPopulation: 179,578
56
/100
Hold
#438 of 1,000 counties
#8 in California (58 counties)

Market Snapshot

$368,720
Median Home Price
58% above national median
$1,586/mo
Median Rent
5% above national median
5.16%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 70% nationally
-$902
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 6.9% rate

Price History

Historical data from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$368,720
Down Payment (20%)$73,744
Loan Amount$294,976
Interest Rate6.85%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,586
Monthly P&I-$1,933
Est. Expenses (35%)-$555
Net Cash Flow-$902/mo
3.4%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-12.8%
Cash-on-Cash Return
5.16%
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 AnalysisTry House Hack Strategy

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
56/100
56
Cash Flow(30%)
47/100

Based on 5.16% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
92/100

Based on 6.9% 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 (+6.9% YoY)
  • +Complete rent data available

Challenges

  • -Below-average rent-to-price ratio (5.16%)
  • -Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$902/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 $57,018 national est.
Unemployment Rate
—
Data pending
Price-to-Income
6.8x
Less affordable

Compare to Nearby Counties

CountyVerdict
KingsCA
59$354,148$1,7575.95%HoldView
LassenCA
59$224,596$1,2416.63%HoldView
MaderaCA
57$416,542$2,2646.52%HoldView
CurrentImperialCA
56$368,720$1,5865.16%Hold
TulareCA
55$353,817$1,7575.96%HoldView
FresnoCA
52$399,477$2,0346.11%HoldView

The Bottom Line

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

Imperial County in California scores 56/100, ranking #438 of 1,000 US counties (top 58%). The 5.16% 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
$-902/mo
Cap Rate
3.4%
Cash-on-Cash
-12.8%

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