Median Income
N/A
household / year
Median Home Value
$151,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,265
gross / month
Cost of Living
108
national avg = 100

Is Thermal, CA a Good Place to Live?

Thermal is a small town of 1,352 in California, with a median household income of N/A and a 6.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Thermal stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Thermal is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Thermal 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

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

Metric Thermal, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $151,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,265 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 69.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income N/A $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Thermal'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

Thermal is served primarily by Coachella Valley Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.2:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Thermal, CA National Avg
School District Coachella Valley Unified —
Elementary Schools 14 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 21.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 0.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 37.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Thermal sees average highs of 71.0°F in January and 106.9°F in July, with 3.0 inches of annual precipitation .

MetricThermal, CA
Average High — January71.0°F
Average High — July106.9°F
Annual Precipitation3.0"
Annual SnowfallTrace / None

Demographics

MetricThermal, CANational Avg
Population1,352—
Median Age35.138.9
Unemployment Rate6.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)15.2%59.3%
Black or African American0.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino84.3%18.9%
Asian0.4%6.3%
Under 1823.2%22.2%
65 and over19.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Coachella, CA 4 mi Vista Santa Rosa, CA 4 mi Mecca, CA 5 mi Oasis, CA 7 mi La Quinta, CA 8 mi

Thermal vs Other Cities

Thermal, CA vs Coachella, CA Thermal, CA vs Vista Santa Rosa, CA Thermal, CA vs Mecca, CA Thermal, CA vs Oasis, CA Thermal, CA vs La Quinta, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Thermal's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Thermal roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $151,500 and median rent is $1,265/month.
Thermal'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.
Public schools in Thermal are operated by Coachella Valley Unified. The district has 14 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 21.2:1. 0.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Thermal, CA has a population of 1,352, a median household income of N/A, and an unemployment rate of 6.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Thermal averages 71.0°F in January and 106.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 3.0 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Thermal, California is 1,352 with a median age of 35.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Thermal: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $151,500, median household income N/A, crime index 81 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Thermal side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.