City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Calexico, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Calexico - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

38,476
Residents
$50,021
Median income
$281,700
Median home
$1,362
Median rent (state)

Calexico - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Calexico places in the 19th percentile for household income and the 77th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

19th
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
52nd
percentile, median rent
77th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Calexico, CA

Calexico is a small city in California, home to 38,476 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Calexico brings in $50,021 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 17.7%. Home values in Calexico run a median of $281,700, and the median resident age is 33.5 years. 21.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 44.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 59 residential building permits were authorized in Calexico (Building Boom), up 490% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Calexico reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 682.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, California scores 110.7 (Well Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,362 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in California run around $275, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Calexico workers runs 23.0 minutes, with 79.5% driving alone and 7.2% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 96.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

38,476 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$50,021 /yr

Poverty 17.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Calexico compare to other US cities?

Where Calexico sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 19% higher than other cities
Home value 62% pricier than other cities
Median rent 52% pricier than other cities
Safety 77% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to California alone, Calexico ranks #25 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Calexico's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

19thIncome percentile
77thSafety percentile

19th percentile nationally for median household income · 77th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Calexico's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Calexico's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 46 Avg. percentile National median
Calexico's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Calexico's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$281,700 38th percentile more affordable than 38% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Calexico $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Calexico, CA Calexico, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Calexico, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Calexico, CA median $50,021/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Calexico, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Calexico, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 17.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 44.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
38,476
Median Income
$50,021
Median Home Value
$281,700
Median Age
33.5
Poverty Rate
17.7%
Labor force participation
44.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
682.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
147.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
535.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
38,200 residents38,400 residents38,600 residents38,800 residents39,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 38,560 residents 38,623 residents ▲ +0.2%
Calexico's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
59
housing units authorized
Single-Family
51
detached homes
Multifamily
8
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 10
2020 11
2021 65
2022 146
2023 114
2024 59

Permit volume increased 490% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.0 minutes
Drive Alone
79.5%
Carpool
6.2%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
3.6%
Work from Home
7.2%
Other
2.1%

Based on 12,283 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Calexico sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,362/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Stanton
38,639 people
La Quinta
38,299 people
Bell Gardens
38,661 people
San Gabriel
38,764 people
Adelanto
38,010 people
Montclair
37,809 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Calexico's 38,476 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Phenix City, AL
38,477 people
Atlantic City, NJ
38,486 people
Wheeling, IL
38,495 people
Winter Springs, FL
38,448 people
Urbana, IL
38,447 people
Mechanicsville, VA
38,437 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Calexico's $50,021 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Robbins, NC
$50,023 median income
Norway, MI
$50,025 median income
Garden, SC
$50,027 median income
Challis, ID
$50,034 median income
Terra Alta, WV
$50,035 median income
Yelvington, KY
$50,038 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Calexico, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Calexico, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 27.8% 42.6% 27.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 97.6% White 27.8% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 42.6% Two or more races 27.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Calexico compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Calexico (this city) 38,476 $50,021
Stanton 38,639 $81,455
La Quinta 38,299 $97,628
Bell Gardens 38,661 $55,372
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Calexico, CA?

What is the population of Calexico, CA? +

38,476 people live in Calexico, CA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Calexico, CA? +

Calexico households earn a median of $50,021 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Calexico? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Calexico; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Calexico, CA safe? +

Calexico has a total crime rate of 682.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Calexico, CA? +

Calexico's median home value sits at $281,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.