Population 6,569 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Desert Palms
Household size in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.73 | 3.35 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.65 | 3.43 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.70 | 3.42 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.72 | 3.34 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Desert Palms are small: just 1.72 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only two have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.8 | 33.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 75.2 | 34.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 74.7 | 35.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 77.5 | 37.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.7 | +3.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 77.5, Desert Palms is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 72.8 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other California city with 5,000+ people is older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 15.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 15.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 14.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 14.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.0 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Desert Palms: 2.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 10.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only ten of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Desert Palms
Renters in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 32.3% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 36.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.3% | 36.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.6% | 34.2% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 13.6% of households in Desert Palms rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About six in ten owners (58.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 8.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 31 have a lower share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.5% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.0% | 10.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.1% | 9.4% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 7.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 22.8% of the housing in Desert Palms, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only 25 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have a higher vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1999 | 1983 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1999 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1999 | 1984 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2000 | 1986 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Desert Palms is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2000, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 19 have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,400 | $1,287 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,824 | $1,332 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,781 | $1,549 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,709 | $2,083 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,309 | +$796 | +$931 | +$606 |
Rent in Desert Palms runs $2,709 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,309 a month from 2006–10, a 93% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 44.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Desert Palms
Bachelor's degrees in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.4% | 19.2% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.7% | 19.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.6% | 21.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 44.2% | 24.0% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Desert Palms than nationally: 44.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.2% | 77.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.3% | 78.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.3% | 80.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.6% | 82.5% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +4.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Desert Palms: 95.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Desert Palms has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of California cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Desert Palms
| Period | Desert Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.7% | 11.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 14.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.0% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.7 pts | −4.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Desert Palms than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 9.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Desert Palms compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Palms | 1.72 | 77.5 | 2.8% | 13.6% | 22.8% | 2000 | $2,709 | 44.2% | 95.6% | 4.0% |
| Indio | 3.00 | 40.3 | 13.1% | 35.1% | 12.5% | 1990 | $1,768 | 19.8% | 74.2% | 5.1% |
| Palm Desert | 2.13 | 52.7 | 8.7% | 35.1% | 27.7% | 1985 | $1,910 | 39.4% | 93.4% | 7.0% |
| Indian Wells | 2.05 | 64.7 | 1.9% | 17.8% | 45.8% | 1987 | $2,093 | 62.1% | 96.7% | 7.7% |
| Thousand Palms | 2.95 | 42.7 | 15.3% | 25.1% | 24.6% | 1988 | $1,746 | 25.7% | 83.5% | 5.3% |
| La Quinta | 2.49 | 50.1 | 9.0% | 24.1% | 28.4% | 1996 | $2,012 | 40.2% | 92.3% | 7.1% |
| Rancho Mirage | 2.03 | 63.3 | 6.9% | 18.0% | 38.0% | 1987 | $1,978 | 45.9% | 93.6% | 9.0% |
| Coachella | 3.66 | 34.3 | 14.0% | 35.2% | 3.3% | 1995 | $1,555 | 8.3% | 56.1% | 9.3% |
| Cathedral City | 2.95 | 42.3 | 12.8% | 33.8% | 12.0% | 1987 | $1,746 | 22.0% | 78.5% | 6.3% |
| Vista Santa Rosa | 3.25 | 40.2 | 15.2% | 26.1% | 27.1% | 1991 | $1,857 | 20.4% | 74.2% | 2.7% |
| Valerie | 2.13 | 49.3 | 8.0% | 35.2% | 47.3% | 1993 | $2,301 | 35.4% | 67.0% | 10.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Prairie Du Sac, WI · Pixley, CA · Pleasant View, TN · Pocomoke City, MD · Polk City, IA · Pontoon Beach, IL · Poolesville, MD · Port Isabel, TX · Port Labelle, FL · Port St. Joe, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Desert Palms. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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