Imperial Beach, California facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Imperial Beach, California
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"Surfhenge" in Imperial Beach
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| Nickname(s):
Most Southwesterly City in Continental U.S.
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| Motto(s):
"Classic Southern California"
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Location of Imperial Beach in San Diego County, California.
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 Imperial Beach, California
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  California |
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| County |  San Diego |
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| Founded | June 1, 1887 | ||
| Incorporated | July 18, 1956 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Council-Manager | ||
| Area | |||
| • City | 4.42 sq mi (11.44 km2) | ||
| • Land | 4.30 sq mi (11.14 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.12 sq mi (0.30 km2) 7.22% | ||
| Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 26,137 | ||
| • Density | 5,913/sq mi (2,284.7/km2) | ||
| • Metro | SD-TJ: 5,105,768 | ||
| Time zone | UTC-8 (PST) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
91932
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| Area code(s) | 619 | ||
| FIPS code | 06-36294 | ||
| GNIS feature IDs | 1660788, 2410098 | ||
Imperial Beach is a sunny city located right on the beach in San Diego County, California. About 26,000 people live here. It's part of the South Bay area of San Diego County.
The city is about 14 miles (23 km) south of downtown San Diego. It's also only 5 miles (8 km) northwest of downtown Tijuana, Mexico. Imperial Beach is the southernmost city in California. It's also the most southwesterly city in the continental United States.
Contents
History of Imperial Beach
Imperial Beach is on the traditional land of the Kumeyaay people. They had a village here called Alyshuwii. The city was founded in June 1887. It got its name from Imperial County, California, a desert area about 100 miles (160 km) to the east.
Farmers and landowners from the Imperial Valley came here in the late 1880s. They were looking for cooler weather during the hot summer months. In March 1887, over 2,000 workers came to nearby Coronado, California. They were building the Hotel del Coronado, which was the biggest resort in the world at that time. Many of these workers stayed in Imperial Beach. Some even made it their permanent home.
The city officially became a city in 1956. It started with its own fire department and police. Later, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department took over policing services.
Imperial Beach has worked to become more welcoming to visitors. In 2004, the city started a plan to improve its main streets. These improvements included areas along Palm Avenue and Seacoast Drive. In December 2013, a new hotel called Pier South Resort was finished. It has 78 rooms, a restaurant, and a spa.
Geography and Climate
Imperial Beach is the most southwesterly city in the continental United States. It covers about 4.5 square miles (11.6 km2). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
The city is bordered by Playas de Tijuana and Tijuana in Mexico to the south. To the north are Coronado, California, and San Diego Bay. San Diego is to the east, and the Pacific Ocean is to the west.
Imperial Beach is in San Diego County. This is one of the most populated counties in the United States. It's also part of the larger San Diego metropolitan area. Imperial Beach is also part of the San Diego–Tijuana region. This is a large area shared by the United States and Mexico, with over 5 million people.
Weather in Imperial Beach
The city has a warm, dry climate. Summer temperatures are often in the upper 70s °F (mid-20s °C). Winter temperatures are usually in the 60s °F (15 to 20 °C). Because the weather is nice all year, many homes in Imperial Beach don't need air conditioning.
Imperial Beach is often about 10 degrees °F (5 degrees °C) cooler than inland areas of San Diego County in the summer. In winter, it can be 10 degrees warmer. The city is sunny most days of the year, about 323 days. The wettest months are in winter.
A weather station at the Imperial Beach Pier collects information. It measures sky conditions, temperature, humidity, wind, and water temperature.
| Climate data for Imperial Beach, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–present | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 86 (30) |
93 (34) |
86 (30) |
86 (30) |
85 (29) |
90 (32) |
92 (33) |
92 (33) |
96 (36) |
98 (37) |
99 (37) |
87 (31) |
99 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 67.1 (19.5) |
65.4 (18.6) |
65.9 (18.8) |
66.6 (19.2) |
68.1 (20.1) |
70.2 (21.2) |
73.2 (22.9) |
75.2 (24.0) |
75.0 (23.9) |
73.3 (22.9) |
69.9 (21.1) |
66.2 (19.0) |
69.7 (20.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 57.2 (14.0) |
56.5 (13.6) |
58.6 (14.8) |
59.6 (15.3) |
62.4 (16.9) |
65.2 (18.4) |
68.5 (20.3) |
70.1 (21.2) |
68.7 (20.4) |
64.8 (18.2) |
60.2 (15.7) |
56.3 (13.5) |
62.3 (16.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 47.4 (8.6) |
47.6 (8.7) |
51.3 (10.7) |
52.5 (11.4) |
56.6 (13.7) |
60.2 (15.7) |
63.8 (17.7) |
65.0 (18.3) |
62.4 (16.9) |
56.3 (13.5) |
50.4 (10.2) |
46.3 (7.9) |
55.0 (12.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 26 (−3) |
32 (0) |
33 (1) |
34 (1) |
43 (6) |
46 (8) |
52 (11) |
49 (9) |
48 (9) |
35 (2) |
30 (−1) |
30 (−1) |
26 (−3) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.69 (43) |
2.10 (53) |
1.85 (47) |
0.59 (15) |
0.10 (2.5) |
0.08 (2.0) |
0.33 (8.4) |
0.03 (0.76) |
0.14 (3.6) |
0.42 (11) |
0.80 (20) |
0.45 (11) |
8.58 (217.26) |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Environment and Water Quality
Imperial Beach is at the end of the Tijuana River watershed. This means that anything that happens upriver can affect the city. Sometimes, the beaches in Imperial Beach have to close. This can happen because of pollution or spills that affect the water quality. For example, beaches have been closed since December 8, 2021.
The water quality has been a concern due to issues with wastewater flowing into the Pacific Ocean. This has caused problems for local businesses and can affect people's health. The city and other groups are working to improve the water quality and keep the beaches clean and safe.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1960 | 17,773 | — | |
| 1970 | 20,244 | 13.9% | |
| 1980 | 22,689 | 12.1% | |
| 1990 | 26,512 | 16.8% | |
| 2000 | 26,992 | 1.8% | |
| 2010 | 26,324 | −2.5% | |
| 2020 | 26,137 | −0.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Imperial Beach Population in 2010
In 2010, Imperial Beach had a population of 26,324 people. Most of the people, about 97.6%, lived in homes.
The city has a younger population compared to many other Southern California cities. The average age in Imperial Beach was 31 years old. About 25.4% of the people were under 18 years old.
There were 9,882 housing units in the city. About 30% of these homes were owned by the people living in them. The other 70% were rented.
In 2010, the average household income in Imperial Beach was $49,104.
Culture and Activities
Imperial Beach has almost four miles (6 km) of beautiful beaches. Lifeguards are on duty all year to keep everyone safe. Many people enjoy beach volleyball, surfing, and body boarding here. The area around the Imperial Beach Pier is a popular spot. The Boca Rio beach break is one of San Diego County's best places to surf.
The Pier Plaza area has special surfboard benches. These benches have plaques that tell the story of how the city's big waves influenced surfing from 1937 to the 1950s.
Nearby, Border Field State Park is the southernmost beach on the west coast of the United States. Here, people on the American side can talk through the fence with people on the Mexican side. The beach in Mexico is called Playas de Tijuana.
The city is connected to Coronado, California, by the Silver Strand. This is a narrow, 7-mile-long (11 km) strip of land. Silver Strand State Beach is on this strip. It's a great place for camping, bird watching, and bicycling. It has both bay and ocean beaches.
Many visitors come to Imperial Beach during the summer. For 31 years, Imperial Beach hosted the U.S. Open Sandcastle competition. This was the biggest sand castle competition in the United States. It attracted about 325,000 people. The last competition was in August 2011.
The city also has a beach front classic car show every summer. There's also an annual dog-surfing contest! The South Bay Drive-in movie theater is just outside Imperial Beach. It's one of the few drive-in theaters left in San Diego County.
Imperial Beach is home to the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve. This is a special natural area where the fresh water of the Tijuana River meets the salty Pacific Ocean. It's the largest saltwater marsh in Southern California. Many endangered birds and wildlife live here.
Military Presence
Imperial Beach has a large military community. It is home to the US Navy's Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach. This is also known as NOLF Imperial Beach. The Silver Strand Training Complex is located next to the city's northern edge.
Transportation
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) provides bus services in Imperial Beach. These buses connect the city to other parts of San Diego County.
Imperial Beach is one of five cities that are part of the Port of San Diego. This is one of America's top 30 ports for container ships.
Notable People from Imperial Beach
- Brian Bilbray: A California Congressman who grew up in Imperial Beach.
- Aaron Chang: An award-winning American photographer known for surfing and ocean photos.
- Serge Dedina: The director of an environmental group called Wildcoast. He was also the mayor of Imperial Beach.
- Allen "Dempsey" Holder: A pioneering surfer in the San Diego area. He was known for riding big waves and led the Imperial Beach lifeguard services for many years. The local lifeguard building is named after him.
- Charlie Jackson: A software entrepreneur who grew up in Imperial Beach.
- Jordan Jacobo: An actor and screenwriter who lives in Imperial Beach.
- Eleanor Mariano: A retired US Navy Rear Admiral and doctor who worked at the White House for 9 years.
- Marco Minnemann: A famous drummer.
- Matthew Modine: A film actor who went to high school in Imperial Beach.
- Kevin Smith: A character actor who was born in Imperial Beach.
Images for kids
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Imperial Beach skyline
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Flag of Imperial Beach
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Seal of Imperial Beach
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Location of Imperial Beach in San Diego County
See also
In Spanish: Imperial Beach para niños
