Holtville is located 10.5 miles (17 km) east of El Centro.

The construction of railroads in the 1890s, the All-American Canal in the late 1940s, and U.S. Route 80 in the 1920s (later converted to Interstate 8 in the 1970s) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) economic boom in the 1990s brought more people to Holtville and the Imperial Valley.

[7] The name was changed to Holtville due to a request by the U. S. Postal Service because the name Holton sounded too much like Colton (in San Bernardino County), the regional headquarters of the Southern Pacific Railroad at the time.

[9][10][11][12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 sq mi (2.8 km2), with 1.1 square miles land and 0.40% water.

This area has a large amount of sunshine year round due to its stable descending air and high pressure.

There were 1,937 housing units at an average density of 1,680.3 per square mile (648.8/km2),of which 1,799 were occupied, 904 (50.3%) by the owners and 895 (49.7%) by renters.

The city's major civic event is the annual Carrot Festival, held in late January or early February.

Holtville was famous in the mid 20th century with having the Holtville "Carrot Festival" but was confused with the "Coachella Valley" name from the Bugs Bunny cartoon Bully for Bugs when he reads a map seeking a "Carrot Festival".

[19] Federally, Holtville is in California's 25th congressional district, represented by Democrat Raul Ruiz.

The daily newspaper, the Imperial Valley Press in El Centro, has circulation at over 20,000.

The newly constructed State Route 7 connects Holtville with the factories and industrial areas of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

The closure of the railroad station brought economic decline to the town in the late 20th century.

[23] A trail was constructed in the 2010s that begins along Evan Hewes Highway and ends at the Holtville Skatepark.

The trail was dedicated to former city planning commissioner, Pete Mellinger.

[24] The city was featured in Milton J. Silverman's bestselling novel "Open and Shut," which chronicled the true crime story of Norma Winters, a Holtville resident who contracted for the death of her husband during the summer of 1974.