The typical owner-occupied home in Imperial Beach is worth about $857,000, 17% above the California median of $734,700 and 2.6 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,745 a year in property taxes, about 0.55% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $86,111 a year, so the median home costs 10.0 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 31% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 68% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Imperial Beach at a glance
| Imperial Beach | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $857,000 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,745 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.55% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $86,111 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 31% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 68% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,659 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 26.5% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $2,011 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 33.8% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1971 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.3% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 25,764 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Imperial Beach
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Imperial Beach home of $857,000 with 20% down costs about $5,362 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $6,927, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $229,798 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 75% of the median Imperial Beach household income of $86,111; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $321,000.
The median rent here is $2,011 a month, so owning the median home costs about $3,351 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $171,400 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $685,600 |
| Principal and interest | $4,612 |
| Property taxes (0.55% a year) | $393 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $357 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $5,362 |
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| Down payment | $29,995 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $841,478 |
| Principal and interest | $5,661 |
| Property taxes (0.55% a year) | $393 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $357 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $517 |
| Total per month | $6,927 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Imperial Beach
What is the median home value in Imperial Beach?
About $857,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Imperial Beach?
Homeowners pay a median $4,745 a year, which is about 0.55% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Imperial Beach?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $5,362 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $229,798 a year.
More about Imperial Beach
- Mortgage Refinance in Imperial Beach
- Debt Relief in Imperial Beach
- Home Equity Loans in Imperial Beach
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data