City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Desert Hot Springs, CA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Desert Hot Springs - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

32,786
Residents
$50,349
Median income
$309,300
Median home
$2,201
Median rent (state)

Desert Hot Springs - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Desert Hot Springs places in the 20th percentile for household income and the 40th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
66th
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
40th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Desert Hot Springs, CA

California's Desert Hot Springs is a small city, with 32,786 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Desert Hot Springs households earn a median of $50,349 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.5%. Home values in Desert Hot Springs run a median of $309,300, and the median resident age is 34.4 years. About 15.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 58.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 118 residential building permits were authorized in Desert Hot Springs (Building Boom), up 436% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Desert Hot Springs reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1691.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,201 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). Commute times here average 27.0 minutes, with 75.4% driving alone and 5.9% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

32,786 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$50,349 /yr

Poverty 15.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Desert Hot Springs compare to other US cities?

Here's how Desert Hot Springs stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 66% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities
Safety 40% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just California and the picture shifts: Desert Hot Springs ranks #181 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Desert Hot Springs's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in California, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

20thIncome percentile
40thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 40th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Desert Hot Springs's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Desert Hot Springs's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Desert Hot Springs's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Desert Hot Springs's home value compares nationally

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

$309,300 34th percentile more affordable than 34% of 15,600 US cities

$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%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Desert Hot Springs $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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Desert Hot Springs, CA Desert Hot Springs, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Desert Hot Springs, CA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Desert Hot Springs, CA median $50,349/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%
Desert Hot Springs, CA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Desert Hot Springs, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.6%

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

Population
32,786
Median Income
$50,349
Median Home Value
$309,300
Median Age
34.4
Poverty Rate
15.5%
Labor force participation
58.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1691.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
491.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1200.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
32,000 residents32,500 residents33,000 residents33,500 residents34,000 residents34,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 32,547 residents 34,009 residents ▲ +4.5%
Desert Hot Springs's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
118
housing units authorized
Single-Family
104
detached homes
Multifamily
14
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 22
2020 77
2021 186
2022 157
2023 113
2024 118

Permit volume increased 436% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.0 minutes
Drive Alone
75.4%
Carpool
15.9%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
5.9%

Based on 14,274 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for California - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$150
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$70
avg/month
Total Utilities
$275
estimated/month

Estimates reflect California state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a California state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Desert Hot Springs sits in

Cost of Living Index
110.7
Well Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,201/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in California

Menlo Park
32,775 people
Los Gatos
32,773 people
Bell
32,830 people
Lathrop
32,696 people
Goleta
32,693 people
Dana Point
32,883 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Desert Hot Springs's 32,786 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brooklyn Center, MN
32,811 people
Houma, LA
32,760 people
Andover, MN
32,825 people
St. Charles, IL
32,733 people
Pasadena, MD
32,717 people
Kaysville, UT
32,861 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Desert Hot Springs's $50,349 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Vandergrift, PA
$50,351 median income
Orlovista, FL
$50,344 median income
Hoisington, KS
$50,344 median income
Maple Rapids, MI
$50,357 median income
Edgar Springs, MO
$50,341 median income
Old Fort, NC
$50,357 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Desert Hot Springs, CA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Desert Hot Springs, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 35.6% 9.3% 23.5% 26.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 63.1% White 35.6% Black or African American 9.3% Asian 1.9% American Indian 2.6% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 23.5% Two or more races 26.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Desert Hot Springs compares to nearby California cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Desert Hot Springs (this city) 32,786 $50,349
Menlo Park 32,775 $206,588
Los Gatos 32,773 $207,891
Bell 32,830 $60,641
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Desert Hot Springs, CA?

What is the population of Desert Hot Springs, CA? +

The population of Desert Hot Springs, CA stands at 32,786 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Desert Hot Springs, CA? +

Desert Hot Springs households earn a median of $50,349 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Desert Hot Springs? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Desert Hot Springs; the closest available measure is the California state average, a cost of living index of 110.7 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within California vary by metro area.

Is Desert Hot Springs, CA safe? +

Desert Hot Springs has a total crime rate of 1691.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Desert Hot Springs, CA? +

Homes in Desert Hot Springs carry a median value of $309,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

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

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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.