Living in Imperial, NE
Chase County
Imperial is the Chase County seat in far-southwestern Nebraska, near the Kansas and Colorado borders, with a population running approximately 1,930 as of a 2026 estimate, out of a broader Chase County population of approximately 3,956. Imperial's economy is real, genuinely agricultural, resting on Chase County's mixed irrigated, dryland, and grassland land base (agriculture, retail trade, and healthcare/social assistance were the largest cited 2024 local industries), and this pass's research found Imperial's agricultural-community economic base characterized as having weathered national downturns comparatively well. Imperial's own median home price ran approximately $132,271, well below Nebraska's statewide figures, with an own 1.56% effective property tax rate (Ownwell) running above the national median but at or below Nebraska's own statewide figures depending on the anchor used, producing a comparatively modest $1,802 median annual bill.
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Learn moreHousing
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Chase County level this session. Nebraska's top state income tax rate is 4.55%. See the Nebraska hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as Imperial-specific.
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Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
Genuinely affordable housing well below Nebraska's statewide figures; a comparatively modest property tax bill given low home prices; a real, resilient agricultural economic base; and Nebraska's full Social Security and military-retirement-income exemptions.
Cons
A confirmed, comprehensive, ranked named-employer list was not found with confidence this pass; Chase County carried a real 2026 USDA drought disaster designation; and Imperial's small, remote, far-southwestern-Nebraska location means genuinely limited local job diversity and airport access.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits budget-conscious movers drawn to a small, genuinely agricultural far-southwestern-Nebraska county seat, comfortable with a limited, farm-economy-centered local job market and car-dependent, remote setting.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers needing a large, diversified local job market, reliable nearby major-airport access, or urban/suburban amenities -- Imperial's small size and remote location genuinely limit all three.
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