OcotilloCA
The town was settled in 1957 and has 118 residents today.
Is Ocotillo a good place to live?
32% of residents live below the poverty line in Ocotillo, against 10% in California’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. No town among the 848 in California we compare has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Ocotillo. 35% of the land in Ocotillo is conserved, above both California’s towns (4.3%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Ocotillo has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
118 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Ocotillo: who provides what
Ocotillo is unincorporated, so Imperial County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Ocotillo.
Ocotillo has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation
Ocotillo’s density of trails works out to 1.5 miles per square mile. 14 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The parks and preserves spread over 7 acres of the town.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ocotillo Community Park | 0.4 mi | 6 |
| 2. John Estevane Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The biggest natural risk in Ocotillo is earthquakes, at a very high overall level
Of the losses FEMA expects in Ocotillo, 84% come from earthquakes and 15% from inland flooding. On expected storm and flood damage, Ocotillo sits above 86% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Ocotillo: mild winters and hot summers
For Ocotillo, the typical July afternoon high is 105°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Compared with most of California and the rest of the country, more of Ocotillo’s adults smoke cigarettes
52% of adults have high blood pressure in Ocotillo. Among 848 California towns, just one has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Ocotillo. Of 32 CDC measures, Ocotillo beats the California average on 3 and trails it on 19.
| Ocotillo | Typical California town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 22% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 11% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 14% | 14% |
| What stands out | Ocotillo | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.5% | 15.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.2% | 71.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 17.4% | 5.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Ocotillo
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ocotillo; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Ocotillo residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Ocotillo
Place in California, United States
Ocotillo (Latin American Spanish: [okoˈtiʝo]; Spanish for "Vine cactus") is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California. Ocotillo is located 26 miles (42 km) west of El Centro. The population was 215 at the 2020 census, down from 266 at the 2010 census and 296 at the 2000 census. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area. Ocotillo was devastated by floods from Hurricane Kathleen in 1976; 3 people died. There is a cafe, a church, a small park, a community center, a small market, an art gallery, two bars, OHV rentals and a gas station. There is a Desert Museum with displays about the desert terrain, flora, etc. and artifacts from the Kumeyaay cul…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 8.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 377 ft
- ZIP code
- 92259
- Area code
- 760
Questions about Ocotillo
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ocotillo, CA a good place to live?
Ocotillo has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.