Cost of living in Imperial research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Imperial is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Imperial is 119, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Imperial is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Imperial ranks as the #112 cheapest in California out of 634.
Imperial ranks as the #4,349 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Imperial is $426,069.
The median income in Imperial is $83,214.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Imperial has an overall cost of living index of 119, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Imperial has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Imperial ranks as #112 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Imperial ranks as the #522 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Imperial, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Imperial. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Imperial is 111.
The Groceries index in Imperial is 118.
The Health index in Imperial is 105.
The Housing index in Imperial is 129.
The Transportation index in Imperial is 128.
The Utilities index in Imperial is 108.
| Living Expense | Imperial | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 119 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 111 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 118 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 105 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 129 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 128 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 128 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Imperial is $426,069.
The Median Rent in Imperial is $1,396.
The Median Income in Imperial is $83,214.
The Home Value To Income in Imperial is 5.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Imperial is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Imperial | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $426,069 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,396 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $83,214 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.1x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Imperial | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.5 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.89 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.92 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.77 | $45.56 |
| Item | Imperial | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.47 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.05 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.98 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.25 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.73 | $3.7 |
| Item | Imperial | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
| Item | Imperial | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
| Item | Imperial | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Imperial. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
El Centro, CA has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Imperial.
Calexico, CA has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Imperial.
Brawley, CA has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Imperial.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Imperial |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Centro, CA | 44,186 | 110 | 0.9x |
| Calexico, CA | 38,476 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Brawley, CA | 26,934 | 110 | 0.9x |
| Heber, CA | 7,308 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Calipatria, CA | 6,549 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Holtville, CA | 5,606 | 109 | 0.9x |