Imperial County, California

Imperial County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 174,528. The county seat is El Centro. Established in 1907, it was the last county to be established in California.
Imperial County comprises the El Centro, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is also part of the Southern California border region, the smallest but most economically diverse region in the state.Source California.gov It is located in the Imperial Valley, in the far southeast of California, bordering both Arizona and Mexico.
Although this region is a desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of three inches (seventy-five mm) per year, the economy is heavily based on agriculture due to irrigation, supplied wholly from the Colorado River via the All-American Canal.
The Imperial Valley is a melting pot of Anglo-American and Hispanic cultures. On the American side, the majority of residents are of Mexican American heritage, while the Mexican side was greatly influenced by American culture for many decades. The entire valley is a multi-racial mixture of whites, Asian Americans, some African Americans and Native Americans.
In 2014, Imperial County had the second highest percentage of unemployed people of any county in the United States, at 23.6 percent.
==History==
Spanish explorer Melchor Díaz was one of the first Europeans to visit the area around Imperial Valley in 1540. The explorer Juan Bautista de Anza also explored the area in 1776. Years later, after the Mexican-American War, the northern half of the valley was annexed by the U.S., while the southern half remained under Mexican rule. Small scale settlement in natural aquifer areas occurred in the early 19th century (the present-day site of Mexicali), but most permanent settlement (Anglo Americans in the U.S. side, Mexicans in the other side) was after 1900.
In 1905, torrential rainfall in the American Southwest caused the Colorado River (the only drainage for the region) to flood, including canals that had been built to irrigate the Imperial Valley. Since the valley is partially below sea level, the waters never fully receded, but collected in the Salton Sink in what is now called the Salton Sea, the world's only artificial inland sea.
Imperial County was formed in 1907 from the eastern portion of San Diego County. The county took its name from Imperial Valley, itself named for the Imperial Land Company, a subsidiary of the California Development Company, which at the turn of the 20th century had claimed the southern portion of the Colorado Desert for agriculture. Much of the Imperial Land Company's land also existed in Mexico (Baja California). The objective of the company was commercial crop farming development.
By 1910, the land company had managed to settle and develop thousands of farms on both sides of the border. The Mexican Revolution soon after severely disrupted the company's plans. Nearly 10,000 farmers and their families in Mexico were ethnically cleansed by the rival Mexican armies. Not until the 1920s was the other side of California in America sufficiently peaceful and prosperous for the company to earn a return for a large percentage of Mexicans, but some chose to stay and lay down roots in newly sprouted communities in the valley.
The county experienced a period of migration of "Okies" from drought-trodden dust bowl farms by the need of migrant labor, and prosperous job-seekers alike from across the U.S. arrived in the 1930s and 1940s, especially in World War II and after the completion of the All American Canal from its source, the Colorado River, from 1948 to 1951. By the 1950 census, over 50,000 residents lived in Imperial County alone, about 40 times that of 1910. Most of the population was year-round but would increase every winter by migrant laborers from Mexico. Until the 1960s, the farms in Imperial County provided substantial economic returns to the company and the valley.
Currently, El Centro has one of the U.S' highest unemployment rates (above 30-34%) and ranks one of the state's poorest counties or have a lower than state and national average annual household income.
==Sites of interest==
===Fort Yuma===
Fort Yuma is located on the banks of the Colorado River in Winterhaven, California. First established after the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, it was originally located in the bottoms near the Colorado River, less than below the mouth of the Gila River. It was to defend the newly settled community of Yuma, Arizona on the other side of the Colorado River and the nearby Mexican border. In March 1851 the post was moved to a small elevation on the Colorado's west bank, opposite the present city of Yuma, Arizona, on the site of the former Mission Puerto de Purísima Concepción. This site had been occupied by Camp Calhoun, named for John C. Calhoun, established in 1849. Fort Yuma was established to protect the southern emigrant travel route to California and to attempt control of the Yuma Indians in the surrounding area.
===Blue Angels===
 NAF El Centro is the winter home of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, The Blue Angels. NAF El Centro historically kicks off the Blue Angels' season with their first air show, traditionally held in March.
===Imperial Valley Expo & fairgrounds===
Home to the California Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta which is the local county fair, held in late February to early March and known throughout North America. It is also home to the Imperial Valley Speedway, a race track of .
===Algodones Sand Dunes===
 The name Algodones Dunes refers to the entire geographic feature, while the administrative designation for that portion managed by the Bureau of Land Management is the "Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area" (sometimes called the "Glamis Dunes"). The Algodones Sand Dunes are the largest mass of sand dunes in California. This dune system extends for more than along the eastern edge of the Imperial Valley agricultural region in a band averaging in width. A major east-west route of the Union Pacific railroad skirts the eastern edge.The dune system is divided into 3 areas. The northern most area is known as Mammoth Wash. South of Mammoth Wash is the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness established by the 1994 California Desert Protection Act. This area is closed to motorized use and access is by hiking and horseback. The largest and most heavily used area begins at Highway 78 and continues south just past Interstate 8. The expansive dune formations offer picturesque scenery, a chance to view rare plants and animals, and a playground for ATV and off-roading enthusiasts. The dunes are also popular in film making and have been the site for movies such as Return of the Jedi.
===Colorado River===
The Colorado River streams through the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately 1,450 miles long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The natural course of the river flows from north of Grand Lake, Colorado, into the Gulf of California. For many months out of the year, however, no water actually flows from the United States to the gulf, due to human use. The river is a popular destination for water sports, including fishing, boating, water skiing, and jet skiing.
===Salvation Mountain===
Salvation Mountain (location ) is an artificial mountain north of Calipatria, California, near Slab City. It is made from adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of paint. It was created by Leonard Knight to convey the message that "God Loves Everyone". Knight refused substantial donations of money and labor from supporters who wished to modify his message of universal love to favor or disfavor particular groups.
===Anza-Borrego Desert State Park===
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, portions of which are located in Imperial County, is the largest state park in California. of dirt roads and twelve wilderness areas and miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the Colorado Desert. The park is named after Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish name borrego, or bighorn sheep. The park features washes, wildflowers, palm groves, cacti and sweeping vistas. Visitors may also have the chance to see roadrunner, golden eagles, kit foxes, mule deer and bighorn sheep as well as iguanas, chuckwallas and the red diamond rattlesnake.
===Fossil Canyon and Painted Gorge===
Located near Ocotillo, California in the Coyote Mountains, Fossil Canyon and the surrounding area is a great place for rock hounding and fossil hunting. The fossils here are not dinosaurs, but ancient shells, coral, and oysters from the Miocene epoch when the area was underwater.
The Painted Gorge, located on the eastern side of the Coyote Mountains, consists of sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks. Heat and movement over time has created fantastic shapes and colors. Oranges, reds, purples, and mauves mixed with browns and blacks create a palette of color as the sun illuminates and plays shadows upon this geologic wonder.
===Imperial NWR===
The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last un-channeled section before the river enters Mexico. The river and its associated backwater lakes and wetlands are a green oasis, contrasting with the surrounding desert mountains. It is a refuge and breeding area for migratory birds and local desert wildlife.
===Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR===
The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is located north of the Mexican border at the southern end of the Salton Sea in California’s Imperial Valley. Situated along the Pacific Flyway, the refuge is the only one of its kind, located 227 feet below sea level. Because of its southern latitude, elevation, and location in the Colorado Desert, the refuge experiences some of the highest temperatures in the nation. Daily temperatures from May to October generally exceed 100 °F with temperatures of 116°-120 °F recorded yearly.
=== Museum of History in Granite ===
A unique attraction of the town of Felicity is the Museum of History in Granite. The museum exhibits granite monuments made from Missouri Red Granite. Each is 100' long. Subjects include a Korean War Memorial, History of Arizona, The Wall for the Ages and the eight monument History of Humanity. The History of the United States of America Dedication is on Washington's Birthday 2014.
The History of California is being edited.Board of Trustees, Museum of History in Granite
Smaller monuments include the Felicity Stone (sm), a Rosetta Stone for the future located at the center of the History of Humanity monuments.
The Museum of History in Granite is a candidate as a World Heritage Site.Senate of Arizona Proclamation 10 April 2013 In 2016 this museum will dedicate a granite monument for the History of California.
==Geography==
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (6.8%) is water. Much of Imperial County is below sea level. Imperial County is slighy twice the size in total square miles as the State of Delaware.
The county is in the Colorado Desert, an extension of the larger Sonoran Desert.
The Colorado River forms the county's eastern boundary. Two notable geographic features are found in the county, the Salton Sea, at below sea level, and the Algodones Dunes, one of the largest dune fields in America.
The Chocolate Mountains are located east of the Salton Sea, and extend in a northwest-southeast direction for approximately
.
In this region, the geology is dominated by the transition of the tectonic plate boundary from rift to fault. The southernmost strands of the San Andreas Fault connect the northern-most extensions of the East Pacific Rise. Consequently, the region is subject to earthquakes, and the crust is being stretched, resulting in a sinking of the terrain over time. Related to the active geology are some interesting hydrothermal features.
===National protected areas===
* Cibola National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Imperial National Wildlife Refuge (part)
* Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge
==Demographics==
=== 2011 ===
Population, race, and income 	Population, race, and income	Population, race, and income	Population, race, and income	Population, race, and income	Population, race, and income
Total populationU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B02001. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013-10-26. 	171,343 	171,343 	 	 	
  White 	115,496 	67.4% 	 	 	
  Black or African American 	5,985 	3.5% 	 	 	
  American Indian or Alaska Native 	3,020 	1.8% 	 	 	
  Asian 	2,757 	1.6% 	 	 	
  Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 	83 	0.0% 	 	 	
  Some other race 	38,604 	22.5% 	 	 	
  Two or more races 	5,398 	3.2% 	 	 	
 Hispanic or Latino (of any race)U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B03003. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013-10-26.	136,376 	79.6% 	 	 	
Per capita incomeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19301. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013-10-21. 	$16,593 	$16,593 	 	 	
Median household incomeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013-10-21. 	$39,402 	$39,402 	 	 	
Median family incomeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19113. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013-10-21. 	$43,769 	$43,769 	 	 	
==== Places by population, race, and income ====
Places by population and race	Places by population and race 	Places by population and race	Places by population and race	Places by population and race 	Places by population and race	Places by population and race	Places by population and race 	Places by population and race
Place 	TypeU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013-10-21.	Population 	White 	OtherOther = Some other race + Two or more races	Asian 	Black or AfricanAmerican 	Native AmericanNative American = Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander + American Indian or Alaska Native	Hispanic or Latino(of any race)
Bombay Beach 	CDP 	459 	69.7% 	0.0% 	0.0% 	30.3% 	0.0% 	0.0%
Brawley 	City 	24,645 	78.0% 	16.2% 	0.9% 	4.2% 	0.7% 	80.1%
Calexico 	City 	37,378 	64.4% 	34.1% 	1.0% 	0.2% 	0.3% 	96.4%
Calipatria 	City 	7,292 	66.8% 	21.1% 	1.5% 	9.0% 	1.7% 	75.5%
Desert Shores 	CDP 	852 	94.4% 	5.6% 	0.0% 	0.0% 	0.0% 	86.3%
El Centro 	City 	42,141 	65.1% 	28.6% 	2.6% 	3.1% 	0.7% 	79.6%
Heber 	CDP 	5,662 	57.7% 	39.0% 	0.0% 	0.0% 	3.2% 	98.6%
Holtville 	City 	5,908 	68.0% 	29.0% 	1.0% 	0.4% 	1.6% 	80.5%
Imperial 	City 	14,017 	76.4% 	17.5% 	2.3% 	2.4% 	1.4% 	76.1%
Niland 	CDP 	1,112 	86.7% 	8.7% 	0.0% 	1.2% 	3.4% 	61.7%
Ocotillo 	CDP 	253 	98.8% 	0.0% 	0.0% 	0.0% 	1.2% 	7.1%
Palo Verde 	CDP 	74 	27.0% 	0.0% 	73.0% 	0.0% 	0.0% 	0.0%
Salton City 	CDP 	2,338 	77.2% 	20.0% 	0.0% 	2.8% 	0.0% 	47.9%
Salton Sea Beach 	CDP 	598 	63.0% 	10.2% 	1.8% 	0.0% 	24.9% 	53.8%
Seeley 	CDP 	1,683 	79.8% 	17.8% 	0.0% 	2.4% 	0.0% 	79.1%
Westmorland 	City 	1,714 	90.7% 	6.2% 	0.0% 	1.1% 	2.0% 	87.9%
Winterhaven 	CDP 	493 	50.9% 	5.9% 	10.8% 	0.0% 	32.5% 	81.5%
		
Places by population and income	Places by population and income	Places by population and income 	Places by population and income	Places by population and income	Places by population and income
Place 	Type 	PopulationU.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey, 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B01003. American FactFinder. Retrieved 2013-10-21.	Per capita income 	Median household income 	Median family income
Bombay Beach 	CDP 	459 	$12,439 	$19,375 	$24,063
Brawley 	City 	24,645 	$17,709 	$36,233 	$43,328
Calexico 	City 	37,378 	$14,317 	$35,988 	$39,129
Calipatria 	City 	7,292 	$11,559 	$35,030 	$37,381
Desert Shores 	CDP 	852 	$11,610 	$29,345 	$29,732
El Centro 	City 	42,141 	$18,273 	$38,297 	$42,417
Heber 	CDP 	5,662 	$13,540 	$45,044 	$44,444
Holtville 	City 	5,908 	$20,749 	$40,712 	$42,188
Imperial 	City 	14,017 	$21,378 	$57,152 	$57,548
Niland 	CDP 	1,112 	$9,750 	$14,883 	$15,170
Ocotillo 	CDP 	253 	$15,254 	$17,734 	$20,625
Palo Verde 	CDP 	74 	$44,003 	$59,676 	Data unavailable
Salton City 	CDP 	2,338 	$16,887 	$32,925 	$34,792
Salton Sea Beach 	CDP 	598 	$17,791 	$27,375 	$57,159
Seeley 	CDP 	1,683 	$14,126 	$33,977 	$44,063
Westmorland 	City 	1,714 	$13,179 	$28,375 	$30,804
Winterhaven 	CDP 	493 	$9,207 	$35,074 	$35,441
===2010===
The 2010 United States Census reported that Imperial County had a population of 174,528. The racial makeup of Imperial County was 102,553 (58.8%) White, 5,773 (3.3%) African American, 3,059 (1.8%) Native American, 2,843 (1.6%) Asian, 165 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 52,413 (30.0%) from other races, and 7,722 (4.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 140,271 persons (80.4%).
Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census	Population reported at 2010 United States Census
The County 	TotalPopulation 	White 	AfricanAmerican 	NativeAmerican 	Asian 	PacificIslander 	otherraces 	two ormore races 	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
Imperial County 	174,528 	102,553 	5,773 	3,059 	2,843 	165 	52,413 	7,722 	140,271
Incorporatedcity 	TotalPopulation 	White 	AfricanAmerican 	NativeAmerican 	Asian 	PacificIslander 	otherraces 	two ormore races 	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
Brawley 	24,953 	13,570 	510 	241 	349 	32 	9,258 	993 	20,344
Calexico 	38,572 	23,150 	134 	204 	504 	21 	12,920 	1,639 	37,354
Calipatria 	7,705 	3,212 	1,612 	79 	95 	25 	2,455 	227 	4,940
El Centro 	42,598 	25,376 	1,081 	554 	965 	34 	12,356 	2,232 	34,751
Holtville 	5,939 	3,655 	37 	41 	50 	4 	1,977 	175 	4,858
Imperial 	14,758 	9,298 	331 	154 	370 	13 	3,783 	809 	11,046
Westmorland 	2,225 	1,038 	21 	38 	11 	0 	1,042 	75 	1,938
Census-designatedplace 	TotalPopulation 	White 	AfricanAmerican 	NativeAmerican 	Asian 	PacificIslander 	otherraces 	two ormore races 	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
Bombay Beach 	295 	223 	37 	8 	1 	0 	22 	4 	59
Desert Shores 	1,104 	709 	8 	26 	4 	1 	307 	49 	848
Heber 	4,275 	2,174 	5 	33 	15 	0 	1,758 	290 	4,197
Niland 	1,006 	539 	36 	20 	36 	0 	315 	60 	618
Ocotillo 	266 	242 	1 	1 	2 	0 	17 	3 	61
Palo Verde 	171 	124 	2 	5 	1 	0 	26 	13 	33
Salton City 	3,763 	2,260 	80 	61 	61 	5 	1,159 	137 	2,368
Salton Sea Beach 	422 	309 	6 	4 	2 	2 	82 	17 	229
Seeley 	1,739 	746 	19 	7 	21 	2 	793 	151 	1,489
Winterhaven 	394 	245 	4 	37 	1 	0 	84 	23 	261
Unincorporatedcommunities 	TotalPopulation 	White 	AfricanAmerican 	NativeAmerican 	Asian 	PacificIslander 	otherraces 	two ormore races 	Hispanicor Latino(of any race)
All others not CDPs (combined) 	24,343 	15,683 	1,849 	1,546 	355 	26 	4,059 	825 	14,877
===2000===
As of the census of 2000, there were 142,361 people, 39,384 households, and 31,467 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 43,891 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 49.4% White, 4.0% Black or African American, 1.9% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 39.1% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. 72.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 65.7% spoke Spanish at home, while and 32.3% spoke only English.
There were 39,384 households out of which 46.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.33 and the average family size was 3.77.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.4 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,870, and the median income for a family was $35,226. Males had a median income of $32,775 versus $23,974 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,239. About 19.4% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Imperial County has the lowest per capita income of any county in Southern California and among the bottom five counties in the state.
By 2006 the population had risen to 160,201, the population growth rate since the year 2000 was 30%, the highest in California and fifth highest in the United States in the time period. High levels of immigration, new residents search for affordable homes, and a search for retirement homes can explain the population increase.
==Government==
The county is governed by the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, a five-member board elected by districts. Supervisors serve four-year terms. Other elected county officials include the Assessor, Auditor-Controller, District Attorney, County Clerk-Recorder, Public Administrator, Superintendent of Schools, Sheriff-Coroner, and Treasurer-Tax Collector.
==Politics==
=== Voter registration statistics ===
Population and registered voters 	Population and registered voters	Population and registered voters
Total population 	171,343 	171,343
  Registered votersCalifornia Secretary of State. February 10, 2013 - Report of Registration. Retrieved 2013-10-31.Percentage of registered voters with respect to total population. Percentages of party members with respect to registered voters follow.	60,690 	35.4%
    Democratic 	30,599 	50.4%
    Republican 	14,413 	23.7%
    Democratic–Republican spread 	+16,186 	+26.7%
    Independent 	1,402 	2.3%
    Green 	141 	0.2%
    Libertarian 	215 	0.4%
    Peace and Freedom 	255 	0.4%
    Americans Elect 	8 	0.0%
    Other 	358 	0.6%
    No party preference 	13,299 	21.9%
==== Cities by population and voter registration ====
Cities by population and voter registration	Cities by population and voter registration	Cities by population and voter registration	Cities by population and voter registration	Cities by population and voter registration	Cities by population and voter registration	Cities by population and voter registration	Cities by population and voter registration
City 	Population 	Registered voters 	Democratic 	Republican 	D–R spread 	Other 	No party preference
Brawley 	24,645 	37.1% 	50.5% 	26.7% 	+23.8% 	5.9% 	19.1%
Calexico 	37,378 	39.0% 	61.8% 	9.7% 	+52.1% 	4.2% 	25.6%
Calipatria 	7,292 	16.0% 	53.7% 	18.7% 	+35.0% 	6.5% 	23.4%
El Centro 	42,141 	38.1% 	49.0% 	25.6% 	+23.4% 	6.0% 	21.6%
Holtville 	5,908 	35.3% 	45.0% 	28.4% 	+16.6% 	8.2% 	21.5%
Imperial 	14,017 	40.9% 	39.6% 	32.4% 	+7.2% 	7.9% 	23.1%
Westmorland 	1,714 	42.8% 	56.0% 	19.5% 	+36.5% 	7.1% 	20.0%
=== Overview ===
 Imperial County vote by party in presidential elections
Year	GOP 	DEM 	Others
2012	33.1% 12,777	65.2% 25,136	1.7% 652
2008	36.1% 14,008	62.3% 24,162	1.7% 650
2004	46.4% 15,890	52.4% 17,964	1.2% 420
2000	43.3% 12,524	53.5% 15,489	3.2% 924
1996	36.8% 9,705 	55.3% 14,591	8.0% 2,104
1992	38.6% 9,759 	43.9% 11,109	17.6% 4,450
1988	55.2% 12,889	43.8% 10,243	1.0% 233
1984	62.0% 13,829	36.9% 8,237 	1.1% 235
1980	55.9% 12,068	36.9% 7,961 	7.2% 1,550
1976	49.9% 10,618	48.2% 10,244	1.9% 400
1972	62.1% 14,178	34.9% 7,982 	3.0% 689
1968	52.9% 10,818	36.6% 7,481 	10.5% 2,147
1964	48.1% 10,330	51.9% 11,143	0.1% 19
1960	53.6% 10,606	46.0% 9,119 	0.4% 81
1956	56.1% 10,526	43.7% 8,197 	0.3% 58
1952	62.1% 11,044	37.2% 6,619 	0.6% 112
1948	52.6% 6,217 	44.9% 5,301 	2.5% 292
1944	53.8% 5,979 	45.8% 5,085 	0.4% 48
1940	46.6% 6,854 	52.5% 7,728 	0.9% 130
1936	38.3% 4,771 	60.8% 7,560 	0.9% 113
1932	29.0% 3,783 	67.3% 8,772 	3.7% 484
1928	67.6% 5,417 	31.0% 2,486 	1.4% 109
1924	50.3% 3,455 	11.0% 759 	38.7% 2,658
1920	64.5% 4,699 	27.8% 2,022 	7.7% 563
Election results from statewide races	Election results from statewide races	Election results from statewide races
Year 	Office 	Results
2010 	Governor 	Brown 59.7 – 33.9%
2010 	Lieutenant Governor 	Newsom 46.1 – 39.2%
2010 	Secretary of State 	Bowen 56.1 – 32.8%
2010 	Controller 	Chiang 57.5 – 30.5%
2010 	Treasurer 	Lockyer 57.6 – 33.0%
2010 	Attorney General 	Harris 48.9 – 41.4%
2010 	Insurance Commissioner 	Jones 52.0 – 33.2%
Previously strongly Republican, Imperial County is now a Democratic stronghold in presidential, congressional and local elections. The last Republican to win a majority in the county was George H. W. Bush in 1988.
On November 4, 2008, Imperial County voted 69.7% for Proposition 8, which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages, showing more support for the proposition than any other strongly Democratic county. After Prop 8 was declared unconstitutional by a lower federal court, Imperial County continued to defend Proposition 8 in the federal judicial system. However, on February 6, 2012, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Imperial County legal standing in the case Hollingsworth v. Perry.
Imperial County is in . In the state legislature, the county is in , and .
== Crime ==
The following table includes the number of incidents reported and the rate per 1,000 persons for each type of offense.
Population and crime rates 	Population and crime rates	Population and crime rates
Population 	171,343 	171,343
Violent crimeOffice of the Attorney General, Department of Justice, State of California. Table 11: Crimes – 2009. Retrieved 2013-11-14.	590 	3.44
  Homicide 	3 	0.02
  Forcible rape 	18 	0.11
  Robbery 	99 	0.58
  Aggravated assault 	470 	2.74
Property crime 	3,134 	18.29
  Burglary 	1,758 	10.26
  Larceny-theftOnly larceny-theft cases involving property over $400 in value are reported as property crimes. 	2,944 	17.18
  Motor vehicle theft 	940 	5.49
Arson 	44 	0.26
=== Cities by population and crime rates ===
Cities by population and crime rates	Cities by population and crime rates 	Cities by population and crime rates	Cities by population and crime rates	Cities by population and crime rates	Cities by population and crime rates	Cities by population and crime rates	Cities by population and crime rates	Cities by population and crime rates
City 	PopulationUnited States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime in the United States, 2012, Table 8 (California). Retrieved 2013-11-14.	Violent crimes 	Violent crime rateper 1,000 persons 	Property crimes 	Property crime rateper 1,000 persons	 	 	
Brawley 	25,570 	59 	2.31 	1,176 	45.99 	 	 	
Calexico 	39,527 	108 	2.73 	1,538 	38.91 	 	 	
El Centro 	43,643 	166 	3.80 	2,477 	56.76 	 	 	
Holtville 	6,088 	11 	1.81 	98 	16.10 	 	 	
Imperial 	15,126 	7 	0.46 	73 	4.83 	 	 	
Westmorland 	2,282 	2 	0.88 	9 	3.94 	 	 	
==Economy==
Thousands of acres of prime farmland have transformed the desert into one of the most productive farming regions in California with an annual crop production of over $1 billion. Agriculture is the largest industry in Imperial County and accounts for 48% of all employment. Although this region is a desert, with high temperatures and low average rainfall of three inches (75 mm) per year, the economy is heavily based on agriculture due to irrigation, which is supplied wholly from the Colorado River via the All-American Canal. A vast system of canals, check dams, and pipelines carry the water all over the valley, a system which forms the Imperial Irrigation District, or IID. The water distribution system includes over of canal and with of pipeline. The number of canal and pipeline branches number roughly over a hundred. Imported water and a long growing season allow two crop cycles each year, and the Imperial Valley is a major source of winter fruits and vegetables, cotton, and grain for U.S. and international markets. Alfalfa is another major crop produced in the Imperial Valley. The agricultural lands are served by a constructed agricultural drain system, which conveys surface runoff and subsurface drainage from fields to the Salton Sea, which is a designated repository for agricultural runoff.
El Centro is the commercial center of Imperial County. Fifty percent of the jobs in El Centro come from the service and retail sector.
A recent growth in the interest of Imperial County as a filming location, has spurred growth in servicing this industry. Because of the county's desert environment and proximity to Los Angeles, California, movies are sometimes filmed in the sand dunes outside the agricultural portions of the county. These have included Return of the Jedi, Stargate, The Scorpion King, and Into the Wild. Additionally, portions of the 2005 film Jarhead were filmed here because of its similarity to the desert terrain of Iraq.
==Renewable energy source==
Imperial Valley has become a hotbed of renewable energy projects, both solar and geothermal."Calif. Desert Becomes Home For Renewable Energy", Rob Schmitz, Morning Edition, April 3, 2009, NPR This is driven in part by California's mandate to generate 20% of its power from renewable sources by the end of 2010, the valley's excellent sun resources, the high unemployment, its proximity to large population centers on the coast, and large tracts of otherwise unusable desert land. Much of the land suitable for green energy is owned by the federal government (Bureau of Land Management). As of April 2008, the BLM has received 163 applications to build renewable energy projects on in California. Almost all of these are planned for the Imperial Valley and the desert region north of the valley. Stirling Energy is currently building one of the world's largest solar thermal plants, with 38,000 "sun catchers," it will power up to 600,000 homes once it is fully operational by around 2015. CalEnergy currently runs a geothermal plant that generates enough power for 300,000 homes and could tap into more for up to 2.5 million homes.
==Transportation==
thumb|right|State Route 86 north of Salton City
===Major highways===
* Interstate 8
* State Route 7
* State Route 78
* State Route 86
* State Route 98
* State Route 111
* State Route 115
* State Route 186
Imperial County is at the junction of one interstate, and three state highways. Radiating to the east and west are connections to the Arizona Sun Corridor and San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area via Interstate 8, Blythe, and northern San Diego County via State Route 78, the Mexicali Valley via State Route 111, and the Coachella Valley, Inland Empire, and Los Angeles metropolitan area via State Route 86.
===Public transportation===
Imperial County is served by Greyhound Lines and Imperial Valley Transit buses. Amtrak trains on the Sunset Limited route also travel through the county, but with no scheduled stops; the nearest stop is in Yuma, Arizona.
===Airports===
====County owned====
* Imperial County Airport, the county's main airport, is primarily a general aviation facility. It is located just north of El Centro, and has limited commercial flight service subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
* Holtville Airport is a public use general aviation airport, owned by the county and located roughly east of Holtville.
====Municipal ownership====
* Brawley Municipal Airport is a public use general aviation airport, owned by and located in Brawley.
* Calexico Airport is a public use general aviation field, owned by and located in Calexico. It is located south of Interstate 8 on State Route 111. It used in part to service maquiladora factories in nearby Mexicali.
* Cliff Hatfield Memorial Airport is a public use general aviation airport, owned by and located in Calipatria.
====Privately owned====
* Salton Sea Airport is a public use general aviation airport located in Salton City.
* Douthitt Strip Airport is a private use facility in El Centro. It was formerly a military airfield.
====Military====
* Naval Air Facility El Centro is a U.S. Navy airfield in El Centro
==Communities==
===Cities===
*Brawley
*Calexico
*Calipatria
*El Centro (county seat)
*Holtville
*Imperial
*Westmorland
===Census-designated places===
*Bombay Beach
*Desert Shores
*Heber
*Niland
*Ocotillo
*Palo Verde
*Salton Sea Beach
*Salton City
*Seeley
*Winterhaven
===Unincorporated communities===
*Acolita
*Alamorio
*Amos
*Andrade
*Anza
*Araz Junction
*Bard
*Bertram
*Bonds Corner
*Cactus
*Citrus View
*Clyde
*Coolidge Springs
*Coyote Wells
*Curlew
*Date City
*Dixieland
*Dunes
*Edgar
*Elmore Desert Ranch
*Estelle
*Felicity
*Fondo
*Frink
*Fuller
*Glamis
*Hovley
*Imperial Gables
*Iris
*Kane Spring
*Meloland
*Mesquite
*Moss
*Mount Signal
*Mundo
*Obregon
*Orita
*Paymaster Landing
*Picacho
*Plaster City
*Pope
*Rico
*Rockwood
*Ruthven
*Sandia
*Slab City
*Tortuga
*Truckhaven
*Verdant
*Wiest
*Wilsie
*Wister
===Area codes===
442/760 – Covers all of the El Centro metropolitan area as well as Palm Springs, Oceanside, Bishop, Ridgecrest, Barstow, and Needles; northern San Diego County; and southeastern California, including much of the Mojave Desert and the Owens Valley. Area code 760 split from area code 619 on March 22, 1997 and was overlaid with area code 442 in 2009.
==In popular culture==
*Scenes for the 2006 film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan were filmed in Imperial County, but were not used in the finished film.
*The majority of Jarhead and the Salton Sea was filmed in the Imperial Valley.
*Scenes from Top Gun were filmed at Naval Air Facility El Centro 
*Part of the film Independence Day takes place in the Imperial Valley.
*Indie rock group Calexico glean their name from the Imperial Valley border town that adjoins Mexicali, Baja California of Mexico.
*Imperial, by William T. Vollmann, published July 30, 2009, documents the history and culture of Imperial County, California. A companion volume of photographs was published August 18, 2009.
*The film American Sniper was filmed in El Centro, CA in the fall of 2014.
==See also==
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Imperial County, California
* Southern Border region of California
* Walters Camp
== Notes ==
==References==
==External links==
*
*Imperial Irrigation District
*Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation
*Statistical profile of Imperial County, California
Category:California counties
 
Category:Imperial Valley
Category:Counties in Southern California
Category:1907 establishments in California
Category:Populated places established in 1907
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