City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Palm Desert, CA

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

51,551
Residents
$79,508
Median income
$491,600
Median home
$2,201
Median rent (state)

Palm Desert - the verdict

Nationally, Palm Desert sits in the 61st percentile for household income and the 14th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

61st
percentile, household income
84th
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
14th
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: Palm Desert, CA

California's Palm Desert is a small city, with 51,551 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Palm Desert households earn a median of $79,508 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.7%. Typical homes in Palm Desert are valued around $491,600, and the median resident age is 56.7 years. About 39.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 46.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 109 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 73% from five years earlier. Palm Desert's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3151.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

California carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts California at 110.7 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,201 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $275 across California, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 19.3 minutes, with 69.6% driving alone and 14.1% 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

51,551 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$79,508 /yr

Poverty 7.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Palm Desert compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 61% higher than other cities
Home value 84% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities
Safety 14% 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: Palm Desert ranks #375 of 441 California cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

California-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of California's city distribution

Among the 1,458 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Palm Desert ranks #426 - the 71st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Palm Desert only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#782 of 1,338
42nd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#734 of 1,458
47th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#707 of 1,343
47th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#632 of 1,450
56th percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#426 of 1,458
71st percentile in California

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 California only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

61stIncome percentile
14thSafety percentile

61st percentile nationally for median household income · 14th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Palm Desert's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Palm Desert'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 30 Avg. percentile National median
Palm Desert'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 Palm Desert's home value compares nationally

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

$491,600 16th percentile more affordable than 16% 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%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Palm Desert $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 - Palm Desert, CA Palm Desert, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Palm Desert, 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 Palm Desert, CA median $79,508/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%
Palm Desert, 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 Palm Desert, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 39.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.3%

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

Population
51,551
Median Income
$79,508
Median Home Value
$491,600
Median Age
56.7
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Labor force participation
46.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
39.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3151.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
323.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2827.3
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
50,000 residents51,000 residents52,000 residents53,000 residents54,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 51,193 residents 53,259 residents ▲ +4.0%
Palm Desert's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
109
housing units authorized
Single-Family
109
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 398
2020 49
2021 157
2022 412
2023 865
2024 109

Permit volume decreased 73% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.3 minutes
Drive Alone
69.6%
Carpool
12.8%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
14.1%
Other
1.7%

Based on 20,453 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 Palm Desert 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

Lincoln
51,629 people
Glendora
51,350 people
Aliso Viejo
51,320 people
Watsonville
51,968 people
Cathedral City
52,047 people
Delano
50,835 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Palm Desert's 51,551 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Levittown, NY
51,557 people
Dunwoody, GA
51,563 people
Harrisonburg, VA
51,492 people
Mooresville, NC
51,447 people
Little Elm, TX
51,426 people
West New York, NJ
51,683 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Palm Desert's $79,508 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Inwood, NY
$79,500 median income
Ferryville, WI
$79,500 median income
Gothenburg, NE
$79,519 median income
Middleborough Center, MA
$79,520 median income
Mason, MI
$79,521 median income
Terrace Heights, WA
$79,525 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Palm Desert, 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 Palm Desert, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 68.3% 7.3% 17.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 26.1% White 68.3% Black or African American 2.2% Asian 4.1% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 7.3% Two or more races 17.1% 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 Palm Desert 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
Palm Desert (this city) 51,551 $79,508
Lincoln 51,629 $108,108
Glendora 51,350 $111,915
Aliso Viejo 51,320 $137,970
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Palm Desert, CA?

What is the population of Palm Desert, CA? +

Palm Desert, CA counts 51,551 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Palm Desert, the typical household earns $79,508 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Palm Desert? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Palm Desert; 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 Palm Desert, CA safe? +

Palm Desert has a total crime rate of 3151.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Palm Desert, CA? +

Homes in Palm Desert carry a median value of $491,600, 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.