Salton City, California
Salton City | |
|---|---|
Location in Imperial County and the state of California | |
| Coordinates: 33°17′55″N 115°57′22″W / 33.29861°N 115.95611°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Imperial |
| Area | |
• Total | 21.431 sq mi (55.506 km2) |
| • Land | 21.431 sq mi (55.506 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | −125 ft (−38 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 5,155 |
| • Density | 240/sq mi (93/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 92275 |
| Area code | 442/760 |
| FIPS code | 06-64294 |
| GNIS feature IDs | 1853413, 2409242 |
Salton City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California. It is the largest Imperial County development on the Salton Sea coast. It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 2020 census reported a population of 5,155, up from 3,763 at the 2010 census and 978 in 2000.
Although planned and developed as a large resort community with an extensive road, water, sewer and power grid capable of supporting 40,000 residents on 12,000 residential lots, demand for property in Salton City fell drastically short of the planners' expectations. According to the 2010 census, 81% of the surveyed lots in Salton City remain undeveloped, and 38% of the habitable residences in Salton City are unoccupied. Despite Salton City's higher population compared to nearby Salton Sea communities such as Bombay Beach and Desert Shores, the eerie, mostly-abandoned appearance of the area has led some to call it a modern ghost town.