It is part of the El Centro, California Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Ocotillo was devastated by floods from Hurricane Kathleen in 1976; 3 people died.

and artifacts from the Kumeyaay culture that inhabited the area which is located on the north side of Interstate 8.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23 km2), all of it land.

Ocotillo has a hot-desert climate with long, extremely hot summers, and mild to warm winters.

The average yearly temperature is one of the highest out of any inhabited place in California.

The winter months, which tend to be the wettest in California, see roughly a couple inches in Ocotillo.

However, late summers may see some occasional monsoonal showers, but they still also come in minimal amounts.

Ocotillo is located on a site that originally sat on the edge of ancient Lake Cahuilla and is the traditional territory of the Kumeyaay.

None of the families and 16.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 26.2% of those over 64.

Ocotillo Mutual Water Company provides service to the main part of the community and Coyote Valley Mutual Water Company provides service to outlying areas.