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Living in
Palm Springs.
About
Life in Palm Springs
Living in Palm Springs means adapting to one of the hottest places in California: summers regularly exceed 110°F with nighttime temperatures staying above 80°F, and the record high is 124°F. Winters are the draw—warm days in the 70s-80s make November through March genuinely pleasant, which is why the population triples seasonally. The landscape is pure desert, surrounded by mountains, with minimal rainfall (under 5 inches annually), so expect a very dry environment year-round.
Palm Springs at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
58.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.8%
Foreign-Born
19.1%
Broadband Internet
91.2%
of households
Population Growth
+1.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics19.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Palm Springs: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Palm Springs, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (40.0%), and 20.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
7.9%
of residents
65 and Older
35.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
8.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
46.7%
of households
Married Couples
33.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
1.80
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 23% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Palm Springs
In Palm Springs, rent runs 23% below the CA average, and home values are 18% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
36.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
106.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,482
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
33.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $612,063 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CA
Unemployment in Palm Springs and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Palm Springs 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 Palm 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
Commute22.2 min avg
How Palm Springs residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Palm Springs, most residents drive alone to work (62%), and 76% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 2 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
- 84 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 54% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Palm Springs runs 54% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
506
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,945.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Palm 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 Palm 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.
206 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Riverside County, county-wide
Palm Springs 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 Palm 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
Palm Springs 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
Palm Springs 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" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Palm Springs
Palm Springs has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Desert Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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 Palm Springs
Palm Springs's student/teacher ratio is 20.5:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 44.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
44.5%
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 Palm Springs (within 15 miles)
California Indian Nations College
10.8 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: Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Palm Springs
Palm Springs has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
40 mi awayJoshua Tree National Park
National Park
41 mi awayCabrillo National Monument
National Monument
88 mi awayPublic Libraries in Palm Springs
Palm Springs Public Library
300 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs
Cities Near Palm Springs
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Palm Springs?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Palm Springs FAQ
Is Palm Springs, California affordable?⌄
Palm Springs's median rent is $1,562/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $73,119/year. Median home value is $604,000.
Is Palm Springs, California safe?⌄
Palm Springs's violent crime rate was 506 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2946 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Palm Springs, California?⌄
Palm Springs has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Palm Springs, California?⌄
The cost of living in Palm Springs is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,562/month and median household income is $73,119/year. The median home value is $604,000. About 61% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Palm Springs, California?⌄
The average commute in Palm Springs is 22 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