What it's like to live in Imperial
Imperial is a small city in California with rent below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Imperial deals with county unemployment above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, larger class sizes than the national average, and extreme summer heat.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Growing population
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Extreme summer heat
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Imperial compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Imperial
Based on Imperial's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,510
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,200 a year
- 42% of Imperial renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$72,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $36,090
- Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 11% below US
$1,255/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,255 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $360,900. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $360,900 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
18.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Imperial County is 18.9%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Imperial County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 77% below US
82 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 205/100k · Imperial Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▼ 28% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 106°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 43°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 37% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Joshua Tree National Park (76 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Imperial's strongest points are rent below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,255/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and people who struggle with heat.
Other places near Imperial
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