Palm Desert

Population: 51,551
Median household income: $79,508
Median home value: $491,600

Palm Desert, a community in Riverside County, California, has 51,551 residents. The median household income of $79,508 is below the Riverside County median ($89,672).

From 2019 to 2023, Palm Desert's population declined 1.9% from 52,575 to 51,551, while its median home value rose 40.3% from $350,400 to $491,600.

39.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 64.4% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 51,551
Median age: 56.7 yrs
Median household income: $79,508
Median home value: $491,600
Median gross rent: $1,717
Housing units: 36,584
Homeownership rate: 64.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 39.9%
Unemployment rate: 6.1%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

52,57551,551

Median household income

$59,977$79,508

Median home value

$350,400$491,600

Median gross rent

$1,319$1,717

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	52,575	$59,977	$350,400	$1,319
2020	53,087	$64,295	$361,200	$1,353
2021	51,081	$67,514	$381,700	$1,402
2022	51,290	$75,691	$452,000	$1,564
2023	51,551	$79,508	$491,600	$1,717

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 52.8%

5 to 1710.5%

18 to 246.1%

25 to 349.9%

35 to 449.8%

45 to 549.1%

55 to 6414.5%

65 to 7417.0%

75 and over20.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,431	2.8%
5 to 17	5,433	10.5%
18 to 24	3,149	6.1%
25 to 34	5,121	9.9%
35 to 44	5,027	9.8%
45 to 54	4,668	9.1%
55 to 64	7,488	14.5%
65 to 74	8,772	17.0%
75 and over	10,462	20.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	33,161	64.3%
Black or African American	1,067	2.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	73	0.1%
Asian	2,135	4.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	43	0.1%
Some other race	94	0.2%
Two or more races	1,549	3.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	13,429	26.0%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma7.3%

High school graduate17.6%

Some college or associate's35.3%

Bachelor's degree24.3%

Graduate or professional degree15.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	3,036	7.3%
High school graduate	7,290	17.6%
Some college or associate's	14,654	35.3%
Bachelor's degree	10,094	24.3%
Graduate or professional degree	6,464	15.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 22 min

Drove alone69.6%

Carpooled12.8%

Public transit0.7%

Walked1.1%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home14.1%

Other means1.5%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	14,236	69.6%
Carpooled	2,616	12.8%
Public transit	140	0.7%
Walked	231	1.1%
Bicycle	47	0.2%
Worked from home	2,884	14.1%
Other means	299	1.5%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	5,762	32.8%
15 to 29 min	8,217	46.8%
30 to 44 min	2,134	12.1%
45 to 59 min	381	2.2%
60+ min	1,075	6.1%

Households

Average household size: 2.11
Poverty rate: 11.3% (5,785 of 51,063)

	Count	Share
Family households	13,812	57.2%
Nonfamily households	10,333	42.8%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1985

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	24,145	66.0%
Vacant	12,439	34.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	15,546	64.4%
Renter-occupied	8,599	35.6%

1-unit, detached38.2%

1-unit, attached29.8%

2 to 4 units7.2%

5 to 19 units7.8%

20 or more units7.8%

Mobile home & other9.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	13,959	38.2%
1-unit, attached	10,888	29.8%
2 to 4 units	2,637	7.2%
5 to 19 units	2,843	7.8%
20 or more units	2,855	7.8%
Mobile home & other	3,402	9.3%

Geography

Place GEOID: 0655184
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 27 sq mi
Water area: 0.2 sq mi
Center point: 33.7376, -116.3641