Chapel Hill, NC vs Imperial, CA
Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.
Score Snapshot
No universal winner
Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.
Chapel Hill
68.6
#1303 nationally
Imperial
71.3
#996 nationally
Imperial leads in crime level (2.1 vs 4.7). Imperial leads in cost of living index (118 vs 133). Imperial leads in average commute (18.1 min vs 19.6 min).
Metric-by-Metric Breakdown
| Metric | Chapel Hill, NC | Imperial, CA |
|---|---|---|
| WhereAtHome Score | 68.6 (#1303) | 71.3 (#996) |
| Population | 62,043 | 21,591 |
| Typical Home Value (ZHVI) | $636,021 | $445,376 |
| Median Household Income | $85,940 | $83,029 |
| Average Commute | 19.6 min | 18.1 min |
| Walk Score | 34 | N/A |
| Crime Level | 4.7 | 2.1 |
| School Rating | N/A | N/A |
| Cost of Living Index | 133 | 118 |
| Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored | D+51.1 | R+0.9 |
Data coverage note: Imperial is missing data for 1 metric that Chapel Hill has. Scores with less coverage are penalized — see our methodology.
D+
68.6 Score
Chapel Hill, NC
North Carolina community balancing growth and livability
Median Home
$636,021
Population
62,043
Crime
Moderate-Low
Walk Score
34
Southeast
View Chapel Hill, NC →
C-
71.3 Score
Imperial, CA
Small California city with local appeal
Median Home
$445,376
Population
21,591
Crime
Low
Median Income
$83,029
Pacific
View Imperial, CA →