The Town FilesLa Quinta, California
City in Riverside County · population 37,558 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $661,600
- Household income
- $99,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 106°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 53.3
La Quinta is a city of 37,558 people in Riverside County, California. The median home is worth $661,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of California towns.
How La Quinta ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in La Quinta is worth $661,600, above the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $99,250, which is more affordable than 45% of California towns. Median rent is $1,785 a month. 75.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Quinta | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $661,600 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,785 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $99,250 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 75.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1999 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 27.7% | — |
Who lives in La Quinta
| People | La Quinta | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.0% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.1% | — |
| Work from home | 17.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in La Quinta
July highs average 105.8°F and January lows 46.8°F. About 2.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 184 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of La Quinta since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 6, 2015 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 6, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 14, 2024.
Severe weather in Riverside County since 1996
Riverside County has been included in 66 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2026 | Fire | FM-5636: Bain Fire |
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5538: Airport Fire |
| July 21, 2024 | Fire | FM-5515: Hawarden Fire |
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Riverside County
Riverside County had 840,433 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,734 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in La Quinta itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in La Quinta
8 public schools with 5,362 students, about 23.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Quinta High | 9-12 | 2,488 | 25.6 |
| La Quinta Middle | 6-8 | 688 | 22.9 |
| Harry S. Truman Elementary | K-5 | 644 | 25.8 |
| Benjamin Franklin Elementary | K-5 | 622 | 22.2 |
| Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle | 6-8 | 397 | 22.1 |
| Horizon | K-12 | 356 | 20.9 |
| Summit High (Continuation) | 10-12 | 167 | 13.9 |
| John Adams Early Childhood Learning Center | K-1 | — | — |
Towns near La Quinta
- Vista Santa Rosa, CA4.0 mi · 2,607 people · home $427,700
- Indian Wells, CA5.1 mi · 4,757 people · home $1,078,200
- Indio, CA6.6 mi · 89,137 people · home $458,400
- Bermuda Dunes, CA7.1 mi · 8,244 people · home $596,300
- Coachella, CA8.2 mi · 41,941 people · home $367,600
- Thermal, CA8.3 mi · 2,676 people · home $187,000
- Palm Desert, CA8.4 mi · 51,163 people · home $542,000
- Desert Palms, CA9.6 mi · 6,686 people · home $567,400
La Quinta questions
Is La Quinta, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Quinta scores better for retirees than 55% of California towns and quieter than 49%. 31.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.3).
How much does a house cost in La Quinta?
The median owner-occupied home in La Quinta is valued at $661,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,250, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,785 a month.
What is the weather like in La Quinta?
July highs average 105.8°F and January lows 46.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 2.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does La Quinta get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of La Quinta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 6, 2015. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)