The Town FilesImperial, California
City in Imperial County · population 20,263 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $360,900
- Household income
- $90,195
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 108°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 31.3
Imperial is a city of 20,263 people in Imperial County, California. The median home is worth $360,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks easier by car than 91% of California towns, more of a college town than 89% of California towns, better for families than 78% of California towns.
How Imperial ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Imperial is worth $360,900, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $90,195, which is more affordable than 91% of California towns. Median rent is $1,255 a month. 69.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Imperial | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $360,900 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,255 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $90,195 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 69.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Imperial
| People | Imperial | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.5% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 34.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 93.3% |
Weather in Imperial
July highs average 107.8°F and January lows 41.5°F. About 2.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 181 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 4 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Imperial since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 24, 1997 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 24, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 14, 1990.
Severe weather in Imperial County since 1996
Imperial County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4482: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3428: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Imperial County
Imperial County had 67,166 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,639 a year. Unemployment was 17.3% in 2023; in Imperial itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.
Public schools in Imperial
6 public schools with 4,672 students, about 23.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial High | 9-12 | 1,378 | 23.8 |
| Frank M. Wright Middle | 6-8 | 1,077 | 22.4 |
| Ben Hulse Elementary | K-5 | 826 | 22.9 |
| Imperial Cross Elementary | K-5 | 748 | 24.1 |
| T. L. Waggoner Elementary | K-5 | 594 | 22.0 |
| Imperial Ave. Holbrook High | 9-12 | 49 | 49.0 |
Towns near Imperial
- El Centro, CA3.7 mi · 44,322 people · home $323,100
- Heber, CA7.8 mi · 6,896 people · home $335,600
- Brawley, CA10.0 mi · 26,416 people · home $290,700
- Holtville, CA11.4 mi · 5,605 people · home $310,100
- Calexico, CA11.5 mi · 38,633 people · home $313,600
- Calipatria, CA23.3 mi · 6,515 people · home $197,200
Imperial questions
Is Imperial, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Imperial scores better for retirees than 40% of California towns and quieter than 34%. 9.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.3).
How much does a house cost in Imperial?
The median owner-occupied home in Imperial is valued at $360,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,195, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,255 a month.
What is the weather like in Imperial?
July highs average 107.8°F and January lows 41.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 2.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Imperial get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Imperial since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 24, 1997. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)