The Town FilesPalm Springs, California
City in Riverside County · population 44,575 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $604,000
- Household income
- $73,119
- Jan low / Jul high
- 47° / 108°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 58.5
Palm Springs is a city of 44,575 people in Riverside County, California. The median home is worth $604,000, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks hipper than 96% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of California towns, better for young professionals than 81% of California towns.
How Palm Springs 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 Palm Springs is worth $604,000, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 8.3 times the median household income of $73,119, which is more affordable than 23% of California towns. Median rent is $1,562 a month. 65.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palm Springs | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $604,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,562 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $73,119 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.3× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.9% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 27.1% | — |
Who lives in Palm Springs
| People | Palm Springs | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.5 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.3% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 7.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.1% | — |
| Work from home | 26.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 93.3% |
Weather in Palm Springs
July highs average 107.8°F and January lows 47.2°F. About 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 183 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Palm Springs since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on August 30, 2008.
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 Palm Springs itself the ACS puts it at 7.7%.
Public schools in Palm Springs
8 public schools with 4,810 students, about 20.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Springs High | 9-12 | 1,508 | 21.5 |
| Cielo Vista Charter (charter) | K-8 | 850 | 22.4 |
| Raymond Cree Middle | 6-8 | 710 | 19.7 |
| Katherine Finchy Elementary | K-5 | 476 | 18.3 |
| Vista del Monte Elementary | K-5 | 471 | 18.8 |
| Cahuilla Elementary | K-5 | 413 | 20.7 |
| Desert Learning Academy | K-12 | 378 | 18.9 |
| Virtual Pre | Other | 4 | — |
Towns near Palm Springs
- Cathedral City, CA4.9 mi · 51,493 people · home $453,100
- Rancho Mirage, CA6.8 mi · 16,999 people · home $807,200
- Garnet, CA8.6 mi · 7,118 people · home $267,900
- Desert Edge, CA10.0 mi · 4,180 people · home $76,300
- Thousand Palms, CA10.6 mi · 7,967 people · home $268,700
- Desert Hot Springs, CA10.7 mi · 32,512 people · home $354,800
- Palm Desert, CA11.0 mi · 51,163 people · home $542,000
- Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA11.8 mi · 4,163 people · home $532,400
Palm Springs questions
Is Palm Springs, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palm Springs scores better for retirees than 69% of California towns and quieter than 65%. 35.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 58.5).
How much does a house cost in Palm Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Palm Springs is valued at $604,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,119, so homes cost about 8.3 times income. Median rent is $1,562 a month.
What is the weather like in Palm Springs?
July highs average 107.8°F and January lows 47.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 5.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Palm Springs get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Palm Springs in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)