Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Calipatria grades D− overall, 787th of 841 graded towns in California, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $53K, and 26% of residents live below the poverty line. Residents are less healthy than 91% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Calipatria’s July high is 109°F, where California’s towns sit at 89°F and U.S. towns at 85°F. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 97% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Among 437 California towns, just 3 have a lower property crime rate than Calipatria.
Where Calipatria beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
7,705 counted in 2010 and 6,515 in 2020; an estimated 6,012 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 9.7% since 2020, after 15.4% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Calipatria is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 785 in 1920, 6,515 in 2020. The archive holds 17 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and a map from 1944 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Calipatria, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Calipatria.
Calipatria has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns and has commutes shorter than most of California, but it has poverty well above the California rate.
The median property tax bill is $1,734, against $5,124 across California, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Calipatria’s median rent is $919 a month. The typical Calipatria home is worth about $263,000, up 1.8% in a year, 66% below the California typical home.
| Calipatria | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $919 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Calipatria Unified school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Calipatria High, with 345 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont PrimaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 348 | D− |
| Calipatria HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 345 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
49% of Calipatria adults sleep under 7 hours. Calipatria beats the California average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 38% of Calipatria adults get no exercise outside work.
| Calipatria | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 22% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 24% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 35% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 33% |
| What stands out | Calipatria | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 2.9% | 6.4% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 15.4% | 20.8% |
| More uninsured adults | 28.7% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
January nights average 44.3°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 108.5°.
Calipatria has warm winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. The January low in Calipatria is 44°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 1,348 working residents takes 14.9 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Calipatria for work: only 5% work in town. Jobs based in Calipatria fell to 1,785 in 2023, 303 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are San Diego (8%), Brawley (6%) and Los Angeles (6%).
| Calipatria | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $53,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 6.6% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Calipatria's reported crime rate is well below California's. 6 violent crimes were reported in 2025.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
| Calipatria | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.6% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Calipatria Park | 0.2 mi | 4 |
| 2. Hernandez Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Rademacher Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Calipatria; the nearest are
About 8 of every 100 Calipatria residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California.
City in California, United States
Calipatria (portmanteau of California and Patria, Spanish for "homeland") is a city in Imperial County, California. Calipatria is located 23 miles (37 km) north of El Centro. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Area. The population was 6,515 at the 2020 census, down from 7,710 at the 2010 census, up from 7,289 at the 2000 census, including 4000 inmates at Calipatria State Prison. The community is located along State Route 111.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Calipatria grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns and #787 of 841 in California. It grades D for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.