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Living in
Desert Hot Springs.
About
Life in Desert Hot Springs
If you're considering moving to Desert Hot Springs, understand upfront that this is a place built on its spa heritage—vintage mid-century resort hotels dot the landscape—but daily life here is about navigating a hot desert community with real affordability challenges alongside genuine affordability compared to surrounding areas. Summers are brutal and uncompromising: July and August regularly exceed 107°F, with heat waves pushing past 110°F not uncommon; winters are mild and pleasant. The upside is that you're at a slightly higher elevation than other Coachella Valley cities, keeping you 5-7 degrees cooler in summer, though winter nights tend to be warmer.
Desert Hot Springs at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.0%
Foreign-Born
25.1%
Broadband Internet
89.9%
of households
Population Growth
+4.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics25.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Desert Hot Springs: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Desert Hot Springs, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (63.0%), and 50.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.3%
of residents
65 and Older
13.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.6%
of households
Married Couples
37.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.90
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 31% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Desert Hot Springs
In Desert Hot Springs, rent runs 31% below the CA average, and home values are 52% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
60.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
34.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,507
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.8%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $372,753 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Desert Hot Springs and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Desert Hot Springs is 0.6 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Desert Hot Springs 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
Commute28.5 min avg
How Desert Hot Springs residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Desert Hot Springs, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)
Small hub1.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 63 mi
Ontario International Airport (ONT)
Medium hub3.5M passengers boarded in 2025
- 93 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.
Safetyviolent crime 46% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Desert Hot Springs runs 46% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
481.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,041.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Desert Hot Springs 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 Desert Hot Springs, 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.
198 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Riverside County, county-wide
Desert Hot Springs is about 1% 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 Desert Hot Springs, 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
Desert Hot Springs is about 1% of Riverside County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate106°F summers, 47°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Desert Hot Springs has hot summers (avg high 106°F) and warm winters (avg low 47°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
87°/59°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
106°/76°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
91°/64°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
71°/47°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
5.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
183
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
14
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°F | 47°F | 1.42" |
| Feb | 73°F | 49°F | 1.11" |
| Mar | 80°F | 54°F | 0.55" |
| Apr | 88°F | 59°F | 0.10" |
| May | 94°F | 65°F | 0.01" |
| Jun | 103°F | 72°F | 0.00" |
| Jul | 108°F | 79°F | 0.25" |
| Aug | 108°F | 79°F | 0.18" |
| Sep | 102°F | 73°F | 0.21" |
| Oct | 91°F | 64°F | 0.18" |
| Nov | 78°F | 54°F | 0.28" |
| Dec | 69°F | 45°F | 0.82" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Desert Hot Springs
Uninsured
10.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Desert Hot Springs's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Desert Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8 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.
Education20.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs's student/teacher ratio is 20.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 16.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
20.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, 39 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (39 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
39 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
40 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
97 mi awayMojave National Preserve
National Preserve
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs Branch Library
14380 Palm Dr., Desert Hot Springs
Cities Near Desert Hot Springs
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Desert Hot Springs?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Desert Hot Springs FAQ
Is Desert Hot Springs, California affordable?⌄
Desert Hot Springs's median rent is $1,412/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $52,761/year. Median home value is $354,800.
Is Desert Hot Springs, California safe?⌄
Desert Hot Springs's violent crime rate was 482 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1042 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Desert Hot Springs, California?⌄
Desert Hot Springs has an unemployment rate of 6.1%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Desert Hot Springs, California?⌄
The cost of living in Desert Hot Springs is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,412/month and median household income is $52,761/year. The median home value is $354,800. About 61% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Desert Hot Springs, California?⌄
The average commute in Desert Hot Springs is 29 minutes, which is about 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