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Living in
Cathedral City.
About
Life in Cathedral City
If you're considering Cathedral City, understand what you're getting: a sprawling desert city with an older median age (41.6 years), solid homeownership rates (63%), and a working-class to middle-class economic character. Your commute will likely be short (20 minutes on average), and Joshua Tree National Park is within reasonable reach at 36 miles. The trade-off is that Cathedral City feels more like a car-dependent suburban sprawl than a walkable town; it's oriented around commercial corridors and golf resorts rather than a vibrant downtown.
Cathedral City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.1%
Foreign-Born
28.0%
Broadband Internet
91.3%
of households
Population Growth
+1.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics28.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Cathedral City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Cathedral City, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (59.9%), and 47.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.0%
of residents
65 and Older
19.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.6%
of households
Married Couples
46.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.73
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 21% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Cathedral City
In Cathedral City, rent runs 21% below the CA average, and home values are 38% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,822
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1988
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $474,189 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Cathedral City and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Cathedral City is close to the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Cathedral City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area
Commute19.9 min avg
How Cathedral City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Cathedral City, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 68 mi
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Medium hub3.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 83 mi
San Diego International Airport (SAN)
Major hub12.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Cathedral City is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
333.7
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,162.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Cathedral City Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 34 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
99.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Riverside County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Riverside County, which includes Cathedral City, the most common type is high wind, with 34 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34 | High Wind | $161,000 |
| 2024 | 62 | High Wind | $527,000 |
| 2023 | 76 | High Wind | $455,000 |
| 2022 | 113 | High Wind | $240,000 |
| 2021 | 94 | High Wind | $4.2M |
| 2020 | 58 | Excessive Heat | $2.1M |
| 2019 | 62 | Excessive Heat | $112.2M |
| 2018 | 58 | High Wind | $1.6M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
202 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Riverside County, county-wide
Cathedral City is about 2% of Riverside County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality80 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Riverside County, which includes Cathedral City, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
80
Good Days
39
per year
Moderate Days
217
per year
Unhealthy Days
34
per year
Riverside County, county-wide
Cathedral City is about 2% of Riverside County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate107°F summers, 48°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Cathedral City has hot summers (avg high 107°F) and warm winters (avg low 48°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
87°/60°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
107°/77°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
91°/64°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
4.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
177
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
0
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
17
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°F | 48°F | 1.14" |
| Feb | 74°F | 50°F | 1.11" |
| Mar | 81°F | 54°F | 0.51" |
| Apr | 87°F | 59°F | 0.09" |
| May | 95°F | 66°F | 0.02" |
| Jun | 104°F | 73°F | 0.00" |
| Jul | 109°F | 79°F | 0.25" |
| Aug | 108°F | 80°F | 0.14" |
| Sep | 102°F | 74°F | 0.24" |
| Oct | 91°F | 65°F | 0.20" |
| Nov | 79°F | 53°F | 0.23" |
| Dec | 69°F | 46°F | 0.68" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Cathedral City
Uninsured
9.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Cathedral City's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Desert Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.7 mi away · Palm Springs
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education20.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Cathedral City
Cathedral City's student/teacher ratio is 20.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 24.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Cathedral City (within 15 miles)
California Indian Nations College
7.7 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 142 students · in-state tuition $7,680
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Joshua Tree National Park, 36 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Cathedral City
Cathedral City has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Joshua Tree National Park (36 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Joshua Tree National Park
National Park
36 mi awayJuan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
44 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
92 mi awayPublic Libraries in Cathedral City
Cathedral City Branch Library
33-520 Date Palm Dr., Cathedral City
Cities Near Cathedral City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Cathedral City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Cathedral City FAQ
Is Cathedral City, California affordable?⌄
Cathedral City's median rent is $1,601/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $73,572/year. Median home value is $453,100.
Is Cathedral City, California safe?⌄
Cathedral City's violent crime rate was 334 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1162 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Cathedral City, California?⌄
Cathedral City has an unemployment rate of 5.5%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Cathedral City, California?⌄
The cost of living in Cathedral City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,601/month and median household income is $73,572/year. The median home value is $453,100. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Cathedral City, California?⌄
The average commute in Cathedral City is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from