What are the schools like in Palm Desert, CA?

Palm Desert is served primarily by Desert Sands Unified. The district operates 19 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 7 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 23.7:1.

What is the median household income in Palm Desert?

The median household income in Palm Desert, CA is $75,691 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 6.5%.

What is the weather like in Palm Desert, CA?

Palm Desert has an average high temperature of 70.3°F in January and 105.8°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 5.0 inches.

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

Q: Is Palm Desert, CA affordable or expensive?

Palm Desert's cost of living index is 108, where 100 represents the national average. This means Palm Desert is 8% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $452,000 and the median rent is $1,564 per month.

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

Palm Desert has a violent crime rate of 323.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2827.3 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Palm Desert, CA a Good Place to Live?

Palm Desert is a mid-sized city of 51,290 in California, with a median household income of $75,691 and a 6.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Palm Desert stands out for solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

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

All Palm Desert 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

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

Metric	Palm Desert, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$452,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,564	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	66.0%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$75,691	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Palm Desert's violent crime rate is 323.7 per 100,000 residents — 15% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

323.7 /100k

Property Crime

2827.3 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Palm Desert is served primarily by Desert Sands Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Palm Desert, CA	National Avg
School District	Desert Sands Unified	—
Elementary Schools	19	—
Middle Schools	7	—
High Schools	7	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	23.7:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	39.9%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	93.0%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Palm Desert sees average highs of 70.3°F in January and 105.8°F in July, with 5.0 inches of annual precipitation .

Metric	Palm Desert, CA
Average High — January	70.3°F
Average High — July	105.8°F
Annual Precipitation	5.0"
Annual Snowfall	Trace / None

Demographics

Metric	Palm Desert, CA	National Avg
Population	51,290	—
Median Age	55.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	6.5%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	22.4 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	70.8%	59.3%
Black or African American	2.9%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	17.5%	18.9%
Asian	4.3%	6.3%
Under 18	14.2%	22.2%
65 and over	36.1%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Indian Wells, CA 3 mi Rancho Mirage, CA 4 mi Bermuda Dunes, CA 4 mi Desert Palms, CA 5 mi Thousand Palms, CA 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Palm Desert

Palm Desert, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

92260 92211

Palm Desert vs Other Cities

Palm Desert, CA vs Indian Wells, CA Palm Desert, CA vs Rancho Mirage, CA Palm Desert, CA vs Bermuda Dunes, CA Palm Desert, CA vs Desert Palms, CA Palm Desert, CA vs Thousand Palms, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Palm Desert, CA affordable or expensive?

Palm Desert's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Palm Desert roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $452,000 and median rent is $1,564/month.

What is the crime rate in Palm Desert, CA?

Palm Desert's violent crime rate is 323.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2827.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Palm Desert?

Public schools in Palm Desert are operated by Desert Sands Unified. The district has 19 elementary, 7 middle, and 7 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 23.7:1. 39.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Palm Desert, CA a good place to live?

Palm Desert, CA has a population of 51,290, a median household income of $75,691, and an unemployment rate of 6.5%. 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 Palm Desert?

Palm Desert averages 70.3°F in January and 105.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 5.0 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Palm Desert?

Palm Desert, CA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 92260, 92211.

What is the population of Palm Desert?

The population of Palm Desert, California is 51,290 with a median age of 55.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

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

Key numbers for living in Palm Desert: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $452,000, median household income $75,691, crime index 105 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Palm Desert side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.