Imperial, CA
Census place 0636280 · pop 21,430
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
18.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
63 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
50 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
17.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
98/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,150/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
29.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
22.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$360,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.00% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
91.7% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
33.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
69.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$90,195 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
82 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.40 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
205 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+22.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
Frequently asked
- Is Imperial, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Imperial scores 45/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is population growth (5yr) and its weakest is unemployment rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Imperial, CA?
- Imperial reports 82 violent crimes per 100k and 205 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Imperial, CA expensive to live in?
- Imperial has a median home value of $360,900 and typical rent around $2,150/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Imperial, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (18.4%) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Imperial, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is population growth (5yr) (+22.8%) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.