What are the schools like in Thousand Palms, CA?

Thousand Palms is served primarily by Palm Springs Unified. The district operates 16 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 5 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 20.0:1.

What is the median household income in Thousand Palms?

The median household income in Thousand Palms, CA is $68,504 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.5%.

What is the weather like in Thousand Palms, CA?

Thousand Palms has an average high temperature of 70.5°F in January and 108.6°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 4.6 inches.

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

Q: Is Thousand Palms, CA affordable or expensive?

Thousand Palms's cost of living index is 108, where 100 represents the national average. This means Thousand Palms is 8% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $252,800 and the median rent is $1,318 per month.

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

Thousand 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 Thousand Palms, CA a Good Place to Live?

Thousand Palms is a small town of 8,242 in California, with a median household income of $68,504 and a 3.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Thousand Palms stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Thousand Palms is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Thousand 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

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

Metric	Thousand Palms, CA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$252,800	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,318	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	78.6%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$68,504	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Thousand 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

Thousand Palms is served primarily by Palm Springs Unified. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Thousand Palms, CA	National Avg
School District	Palm Springs Unified	—
Elementary Schools	16	—
Middle Schools	5	—
High Schools	5	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	20.0:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	19.5%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	86.7%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Thousand Palms sees average highs of 70.5°F in January and 108.6°F in July, with 4.6 inches of annual precipitation .

Metric	Thousand Palms, CA
Average High — January	70.5°F
Average High — July	108.6°F
Annual Precipitation	4.6"
Annual Snowfall	Trace / None

Demographics

Metric	Thousand Palms, CA	National Avg
Population	8,242	—
Median Age	35.4	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.5%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	21.1 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	48.7%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.2%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	47.9%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	27.4%	22.2%
65 and over	21.4%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Desert Palms, CA 4 mi Sky Valley, CA 5 mi Palm Desert, CA 5 mi Rancho Mirage, CA 6 mi Bermuda Dunes, CA 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Thousand Palms

Thousand Palms, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

92276

Thousand Palms vs Other Cities

Thousand Palms, CA vs Desert Palms, CA Thousand Palms, CA vs Sky Valley, CA Thousand Palms, CA vs Palm Desert, CA Thousand Palms, CA vs Rancho Mirage, CA Thousand Palms, CA vs Bermuda Dunes, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Thousand Palms, CA affordable or expensive?

Thousand Palms's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Thousand Palms roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $252,800 and median rent is $1,318/month.

What is the crime rate in Thousand Palms, CA?

Thousand 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 Thousand Palms?

Public schools in Thousand Palms are operated by Palm Springs Unified. The district has 16 elementary, 5 middle, and 5 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.0:1. 19.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Thousand Palms, CA a good place to live?

Thousand Palms, CA has a population of 8,242, a median household income of $68,504, and an unemployment rate of 3.5%. 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 Thousand Palms?

Thousand Palms averages 70.5°F in January and 108.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 4.6 inches . Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Thousand Palms?

Thousand Palms, CA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 92276.

What is the population of Thousand Palms?

The population of Thousand Palms, California is 8,242 with a median age of 35.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

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

Key numbers for living in Thousand Palms: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $252,800, median household income $68,504, 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 Thousand Palms side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.