What are the schools like in Desert Palms, CA?

School district data for Desert Palms is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Desert Palms?

The median household income in Desert Palms, CA is $73,697 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 6.3%.

What is the weather like in Desert Palms, CA?

Desert Palms has an average high temperature of 70.3°F in January and 105.8°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 2.9 inches.

Desert Palms, CA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Desert Palms, CA affordable or expensive?

Desert Palms's cost of living index is 108, where 100 represents the national average. This means Desert Palms is 8% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $466,200 and the median rent is $2,005 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Desert Palms, CA?

Desert Palms has a violent crime rate of 293.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1825.0 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Desert Palms, CA a Good Place to Live?

Desert Palms is a small town of 6,414 in California, with a median household income of $73,697 and a 6.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Desert Palms stands out for a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Desert Palms is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Desert Palms city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 107.9

Desert Palms's overall cost of living index is 107.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Desert Palms costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.

Metric	Desert Palms, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$466,200	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$2,005	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	83.4%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$73,697	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Desert Palms's violent crime rate is 293.7 per 100,000 residents — 23% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

293.7 /100k

Property Crime

1825.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Desert Palms, CA	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	44.3%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	96.7%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Desert Palms sees average highs of 70.3°F in January and 105.8°F in July, with 2.9 inches of annual precipitation .

Metric	Desert Palms, CA
Average High — January	70.3°F
Average High — July	105.8°F
Annual Precipitation	2.9"
Annual Snowfall	Trace / None

Demographics

Metric	Desert Palms, CA	National Avg
Population	6,414	—
Median Age	76.1	38.9
Unemployment Rate	6.3%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	17.3 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	94.0%	59.3%
Black or African American	1.8%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2.8%	18.9%
Asian	1.2%	6.3%
Under 18	0.2%	22.2%
65 and over	83.7%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Bermuda Dunes, CA 3 mi Thousand Palms, CA 4 mi Palm Desert, CA 5 mi Indio, CA 5 mi Indio Hills, CA 5 mi

Desert Palms vs Other Cities

Desert Palms, CA vs Bermuda Dunes, CA Desert Palms, CA vs Thousand Palms, CA Desert Palms, CA vs Palm Desert, CA Desert Palms, CA vs Indio, CA Desert Palms, CA vs Indio Hills, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Desert Palms, CA affordable or expensive?

Desert Palms's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Desert Palms roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $466,200 and median rent is $2,005/month.

What is the crime rate in Desert Palms, CA?

Desert Palms's violent crime rate is 293.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1825.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Desert Palms?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Desert Palms, CA a good place to live?

Desert Palms, CA has a population of 6,414, a median household income of $73,697, and an unemployment rate of 6.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Desert Palms?

Desert Palms averages 70.3°F in January and 105.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 2.9 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What is the population of Desert Palms?

The population of Desert Palms, California is 6,414 with a median age of 76.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Desert Palms?

Key numbers for living in Desert Palms: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $466,200, median household income $73,697, crime index 81 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Desert Palms side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.