Imperial is a medium-sized city located in the state of California. With a population of 21,233 people and three associated neighborhoods, Imperial is the 317th largest community in California. Much of the housing stock in Imperial was built relatively recently. The construction of new real estate can often be taken as an indication that the local Imperial economy is robust, and that jobs or other amenities are attracting an influx of new residents. This seems to be the case in Imperial, where the median household income is $83,029.00.

As is often the case in a small city, Imperial doesn't have a public transportation system that people use for their commute.

The percentage of adults in Imperial who are college-educated is close to the national average for all communities of 21.84%: 20.32% of the adults in Imperial have a bachelor's degree or advanced degree.

The per capita income in Imperial in 2022 was $25,203, which is lower middle income relative to California and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $100,812 for a family of four. However, Imperial contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

Imperial is an extremely ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Imperial home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. People of Hispanic or Latino origin are the most prevalent group in Imperial, accounting for 80.51% of the city’s residents (people of Hispanic or Latino origin can be of any race). The greatest number of Imperial residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Imperial include German, Irish, Italian, African, and Scottish.

Foreign born people are also an important part of Imperial's cultural character, accounting for 25.71% of the city’s population.

The most common language spoken in Imperial is Spanish. Other important languages spoken here include English and Korean.