What it's like to live in Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a small city in California with commutes that run shorter than most cities and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Palm Springs deals with home prices well above the national average, unemployment above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks.
The good
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- High home prices
- Above-average unemployment
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
How Palm Springs compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Palm Springs
Based on Palm Springs's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,124
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $62,480 a year
- 61% of Palm Springs renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$120,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $60,400
- Homes cost 8.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 11% above US
$1,562/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,562 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $604,000. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $604,000 · 61% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 33% above US
5.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 54% above US
506 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2946/100k · Palm Springs Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 15% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 26% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers run seriously hot, with average highs pushing 107°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 48°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 24% above US
45% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 45% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21:1, above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail (40 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Palm Springs's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and unemployment above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,562/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (26% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and people who struggle with heat.
Other places near Palm Springs
All California guides →Moving to Cathedral City →
5 mi away · pop. 52,267
Rent $1,601/mo · Income $73,572
Compare with Palm Springs →Moving to Rancho Mirage →
7 mi away · pop. 17,563
Rent $1,510/mo · Income $107,364
Compare with Palm Springs →Moving to Desert Hot Springs →
11 mi away · pop. 33,200
Rent $1,412/mo · Income $52,761
Compare with Palm Springs →Not sure Palm Springs is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.