City profile · California · Census ACS 2023

Thousand Palms, CA

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

7,662
Residents
$80,280
Median income
$260,500
Median home
$2,201
Median rent (state)

Thousand Palms - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Thousand Palms places in the 62nd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

62nd
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
86th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Thousand Palms, CA

7,662 people live in Thousand Palms, California - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $80,280 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.2%. Typical homes in Thousand Palms are valued around $260,500, and the median resident age is 37.3 years. Educational attainment runs 22.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 1 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,201 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts California's average monthly utility costs around $275 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

7,662 residents

Census ACS 2023 - California

Median Household Income

$80,280 /yr

Poverty 9.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

110.7 (US=100)

Well Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, California average

How does Thousand Palms compare to other US cities?

Thousand Palms measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 62% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 86% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

California-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Thousand Palms toward the bottom of California's cities

Among the 1,343 California cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Thousand Palms ranks #1,141 - the 15th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Thousand Palms only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#770 of 1,338
42nd percentile in California
Median Gross Rent
#734 of 1,458
47th percentile in California
Median Home Value
#1,141 of 1,343
15th percentile in California
Poverty Rate
#543 of 1,450
62nd percentile in California
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#832 of 1,458
43rd 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.

62ndIncome percentile

62nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Thousand Palms's home value compares nationally

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

$260,500 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Thousand Palms $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 - Thousand Palms, CA Thousand Palms, CA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Thousand Palms, 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 Thousand Palms, CA median $80,280/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%
Thousand Palms, 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 Thousand Palms, CA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.4%

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

Population
7,662
Median Income
$80,280
Median Home Value
$260,500
Median Age
37.3
Poverty Rate
9.2%
Labor force participation
56.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.0%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.9%
Carpool
11.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.5%
Work from Home
6.5%

Based on 3,396 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 Thousand Palms 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

Gold River
7,661 people
Woodlake
7,651 people
Earlimart
7,716 people
Acton
7,721 people
Ojai
7,576 people
Hughson
7,541 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Thousand Palms's 7,662 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

New Albany, MS
7,661 people
Ludington, MI
7,664 people
Oak Ridge, NC
7,660 people
Seward, NE
7,665 people
Ashland, VA
7,667 people
Inverness, FL
7,672 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Thousand Palms's $80,280 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hiram, GA
$80,278 median income
César Chávez, TX
$80,276 median income
Bradford, NH
$80,288 median income
Minneapolis, MN
$80,269 median income
New Carrollton, MD
$80,292 median income
Lone Tree, IA
$80,294 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Thousand Palms, 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 Thousand Palms, CA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.6% 13.3% 42.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 63.9% White 38.6% Black or African American 0.2% Asian 0.6% American Indian 4.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 13.3% Two or more races 42.8% 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 Thousand Palms 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
Thousand Palms (this city) 7,662 $80,280
Gold River 7,661 $166,250
Woodlake 7,651 $46,607
Earlimart 7,716 $51,343
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CA NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Thousand Palms, CA?

What is the population of Thousand Palms, CA? +

Thousand Palms, CA has a population of 7,662 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Thousand Palms, CA? +

The median household income in Thousand Palms is $80,280 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Thousand Palms? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Thousand Palms; 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.

What is the median home value in Thousand Palms, CA? +

Thousand Palms's median home value sits at $260,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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.