Census-designated place · Missouri
Imperial, Missouri
Imperial, census-designated place, in Jefferson County, Missouri. Imperial had 4,407 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,488 (±1,266). GEOID 2934354.
Residents, 2020 Census
4,407
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 5,488 ±1,266
Median household income
$90,028
±$26,961 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$228,700
±$20,885 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$1,446
±$306 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Imperial and what county is it in?
Imperial is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Jefferson County, Missouri. It covers 5.2 square miles of land, 841 residents per square mile in 2020.
Imperial is in the St. Louis, MO-IL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 15 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Imperial, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 4,407 residents in Imperial, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 5,488 (±1,266).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Imperial is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Imperial | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,488 ±1,266 | 229,458 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,835 ±302 | 88,309 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.99 ±0.34 | 2.58 | +0.41 |
| Housing units | 1,960 ±311 | 93,955 | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Imperial?
The median resident of Imperial is 36.3 years old; 28.8% are under 18 and 11.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 6.8%.
| Measure | Imperial | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 ±4.7 | 40.3 | −6.5 |
| Under 18 years | 28.8% ±7.3 pts | 22.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.8% ±4.0 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Male | 53.3% ±3.7 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.3% ±3.3 pts | 2.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.3% ±6.2 pts | 88.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 6.8% ±4.7 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.5% ±1.2 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±2.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.3% ±2.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 11.5% ±3.1 pts | 13.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.9% ±2.4 pts | 6.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.9% ±2.8 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.4% ±5.7 pts | 24.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.0% ±2.7 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.3% ±5.7 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Imperial earn?
Half of Imperial's 1,835 households earn less than $90,028 a year (±$26,961), against $82,851 in Jefferson County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $79,460 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Imperial | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $90,028 ±$26,961 | $82,851 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $97,860 ±$9,782 | $98,813 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,620 ±$4,378 | $39,160 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.1% ±6.5 pts | 9.0% | +7.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.8% ±12.8 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.6% ±5.0 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.0% ±3.6 pts | 95.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.5% ±3.7 pts | 91.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Imperial?
Owners occupy 92.6% of Imperial's occupied homes and renters 7.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $228,700 by its owner (±$20,885). The median renter pays $1,446 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Imperial | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $228,700 ±$20,885 | $237,200 | +$28,958 |
| Median gross rent | $1,446 ±$306 | $979 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.4% ±46.9 pts | 29.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,516 ±$333 | $1,545 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 92.6% ±5.1 pts | 82.2% | +7.6 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 7.4% ±5.1 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Housing units | 1,960 ±311 | 93,955 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±22.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 86.1% ±6.2 pts | 79.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 7.4% ±3.3 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 9.7% ±5.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.6% ±3.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.2% ±3.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.0% ±3.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Imperial work and get to work?
81.0% of Imperial's workers drive alone and 9.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.4 minutes.
| Measure | Imperial | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.5% ±6.5 pts | 66.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% ±3.2 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.0% ±6.6 pts | 79.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.9% ±4.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.9% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.9% ±4.3 pts | 11.5% | +6.1 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.4 min ±3.6 | 30.6 min | −7.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Imperial?
1 census tract lies mostly in Imperial, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7001.14Jefferson County | 5,508 | $77,382 |
| Tract 7001.15Jefferson County | 4,102 | $77,672 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Imperial) · Census block assignment files
How does Imperial compare with other places in Missouri?
Imperial ranks 63rd of 416 places in Missouri with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 141st | 420 |
| Residents per square mile | 278th | 420 |
| Median household income | 63rd | 416 |
| Per capita income | 143rd | 420 |
| Median home value | 94th | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 24th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 265th | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 187th | 404 |
| Median age | 278th | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 18th | 418 |
| Work from home | 149th | 270 |
| Travel time to work | 156th | 420 |
Imperial's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Imperial with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Imperial?
21 of the 57 figures for Imperial on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Imperial are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.