Population
21,430
+37.3% since 2010
Typical home
$442K
+5% in a year
Household income
$90K
median
Jobs based here
4,486
A commuter town
What makes Imperial stand out The 3 things Imperial does most differently from other towns.
A growing town Imperial has grown 37.3% since 2010 14,758 people in 2010; 21,430 today.
What’s changed most in Imperial? 14,758 2010
20,263 2020
21,430 Today
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Residents weigh in
Imperial is #752 of 753 in CA for “Wettest”. Fair?
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In the news: Update: 2.4 magnitude earthquake reported near Imperial, CA on Aug. 28 → How do you get to work from Imperial? → Is Imperial still affordable for young families? → How does Imperial prepare for bad weather? →
Upcoming events
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The data Ordered by what stands out in Imperial. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in eight working residents works right in Imperial Most working residents leave Imperial for work: only 12% work in town. The top destinations are El Centro (27%), Brawley (7%) and Calexico (5%). Half commute less than 10 miles.
12% work in town
Where working residents work In Imperial 12%
El Centro 27%
Brawley 7%
Calexico 5%
San Diego 4%
10 mi
median commute distance
4,486
jobs based in Imperial
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Housing
A typical Imperial home is worth about $442K The typical Imperial home is worth about $442,000, up 5% in a year, 42% below the California typical home.
$442K Zillow home value
Typical home value Imperial $442K
California $764K
Market temperature
Buyer’s market A balanced market Buyer’s Seller’s Health
Healthier than 48% of U.S. towns Imperial beats the California average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
B− Health Grade
32 measures vs. California
What stands out Imperial CA Fewer adults who have had cancer 4.4% 6.4% Fewer adults with COPD 4.2% 5.1% More uninsured adults 17.4% 10.6%
El Centro Regional Medical Center
4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
36th
percentile among CA towns
Safety
Less crime per resident than 89% of U.S. towns Imperial reports less crime per resident than 89% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
A Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents Imperial 1
California 4.3
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents Imperial 0.8
California 18.2
U.S. 15.5
89th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
100th
percentile among CA towns
22
violent crimes reported in 2025
18
property crimes reported in 2025
Outdoors
1% of Imperial is conserved land 1.7 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves.
1% conserved
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 1%
conserved · 41 of 4,028 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. Sunset Park — 5 2. Savannah Ranch Park — 3 3. Emerson Park — 3
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with earthquakes at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 87% of U.S. communities.
87 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
87 Very high risk Lower Higher Earthquakes Inland flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers Imperial has warm winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 108°, a January night drops to 43°, and snow is almost unheard of.
108° summer high
Typical low → high °F Winter 44–72°
Spring 57–88°
Summer 76–106°
Fall 62–91°
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
Schools
Imperial’s public schools outperform 50% of California districts The public schools Imperial’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 50% of California’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B− School Grade
A commuter town 88% of working residents leave Imperial for work Where Imperial’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
27% → El Centro El Centro 27%
7% → Brawley Brawley 7%
5% → Calexico Calexico 5%
4% → San Diego San Diego 4%
4% → Calipatria Calipatria 4%
3% → Los Angeles Los Angeles 3%
Imperial · 12% stay
4,486 jobs based in Imperial
12% of working residents work in town
10 mi median commute distance
How do you get to work from Imperial?
Census LEHD 2023
1913 2015
Business center of Imperial, Cal., Feb. 22, 1913. Drag to compare. · Wikimedia Commons
Imperial’s story
122 years in pictures
8 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Explore the history →
Famous people from Imperial 6 notable people were born in Imperial.
See all 6 →
Imperial is a city in Imperial County, California, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of El Centro. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 20,263. It is part of the El Centro metropolitan area. In 2016, Imperial was the fourth fastest-growing city in the state, gaining 4.1 percent more residents from January 1, 2015, to January 1, 2016. It compares to Imperial County's growth of 1.3 percent and Brawley's growth of 1.2 percent.
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Established 1904
Population 20,263
Area 5.9 sq mi
Elevation -59 ft
ZIP code 92251
Area code 760 Copyright © 2026 TownTapestry · Stitching communities together · In loving memory of John Cullinane whose interest in maps and discovering new places was contagious. Share TownTapestry to support usBrowse by state · Privacy · Terms 
19132015
