City profile · Missouri · Census ACS 2023

Imperial, MO

Imperial's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

5,617
Residents
$87,949
Median income
$221,900
Median home
$972
Median rent (state)
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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Imperial.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MO-IMPERIAL-MO · Imperial, MO 5,617 pop · income 69th pct

POP-TOWN · INC-HIGH · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-TOWN 5,617
  • INC-HIGH $87,949
  • COL-BELOW 90.8
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 69th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Westminster
  • HOME-MID $221,900
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Westminster, OH (+ $6 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Imperial

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Imperial on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Imperial on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 5,617.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $87,949. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Imperial - the verdict

Imperial ranks in the 69th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

69th
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Imperial, MO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,617 residents in Imperial, a small town within Missouri. The typical household in Imperial brings in $87,949 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.1%. Home values in Imperial run a median of $221,900, and the median resident age is 37.5 years. Educational attainment runs 19.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 68.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 1 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Living costs in Missouri run below the national norm: the state registers 90.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $972 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Missouri run around $219, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 50.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Imperial's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from work and mobility to housing and income to schools and households to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Imperial, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares, matched public-school count. No matched row is reported here for annual population history, local building permits, within-city Census tract profiles, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Imperial?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 85.7%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 2

How far does income reach against housing in Imperial?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 2.5 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 5.1%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Question 3

What does the education layer cover for Imperial?

The NCES join finds 1 public school within the city match. 19.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.

The matched institution count is small, so district boundaries and schools outside the city line may matter more than the municipal count suggests. Use the number as a coverage cue, then verify attendance zones with the district before making a household decision.

See how the family ranking is built →

Question 4

Which cities make useful reference points for Imperial?

Within Missouri, the closest population matches are Odessa (5,589 residents, $85,592 income); Trenton (5,542 residents, $49,836 income); Cottleville (5,750 residents, $114,420 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Bowie, TX (5,617 residents); Adel, GA (5,619 residents); Fairview, GA (5,620 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Population

5,617 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$87,949 /yr

Above median income · poverty 5.1% (Below-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.8 (US=100)

Affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Missouri average

City profile score · Imperial, MO

64/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living A-
90.8 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Household income B-
$87,949

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate B-
5.1%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Bachelor's+ share F
19.3%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Imperial profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Household income, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share. Cost of livingHousehold incomePoverty rateBachelor's+ share 64 C+
Imperial profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 83/100 (A-) · 90.8 index
  • Household income: 67/100 (B-) · $87,949
  • Poverty rate: 65/100 (B-) · 5.1%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 32/100 (F) · 19.3%

How does Imperial compare to other US cities?

Imperial measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 69% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Imperial against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Missouri only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Missouri-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Imperial near the bottom of Missouri's cities

Among the 875 Missouri cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Imperial ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Imperial only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#110 of 842
87th percentile in Missouri
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 875
0th percentile in Missouri
Median Home Value
#130 of 833
84th percentile in Missouri
Poverty Rate
#611 of 875
30th percentile in Missouri
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#318 of 875
63rd percentile in Missouri
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Missouri only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

69thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

69th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Imperial's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$221,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Imperial $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Imperial's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.5×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#4,127 of 15,516
More affordable than 73% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#3,711 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 2.5×, Imperial sits in the affordable band: national rank #4,127 of 15,516 and #3,711 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$87,949 Imperial, MO median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Imperial, MO Imperial, MO's median household income ($87,949) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Imperial, MO-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Imperial, MO median $87,949/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Imperial, MO median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Imperial, MO.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,617
Median Income
$87,949
Median Home Value
$221,900
Median Age
37.5
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Labor force participation
68.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.3%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
85.7%
Carpool
5.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
7.7%

Based on 2,950 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Missouri statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $219

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Missouri at $219 (electricity about $105 , water and sewer about $42 ).

These are Missouri statewide averages, not a meter reading for Imperial. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Missouri's BEA cost-of-living index is 90.8 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Imperial is $972/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Missouri statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 50.6 / 100 (Low).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Missouri statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Imperial sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Imperial compares to similar-size Missouri cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Imperial (this city) 5,617 $87,949
Odessa 5,589 $85,592
Trenton 5,542 $49,836
Cottleville 5,750 $114,420
NCES CCD
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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