Population 46,321 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Palm Springs
Household size in Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.97 | 3.35 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.02 | 3.43 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.01 | 3.42 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.99 | 3.34 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Palm Springs are small: just 1.99 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. Only nine of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people 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 Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.4 | 33.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.0 | 34.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 54.0 | 35.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 55.4 | 37.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.9 | +3.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
Palm Springs skews older: half of its residents are older than 55.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 50.4, mirroring the country. Only nine of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people are 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 Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 15.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 15.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 14.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 14.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.0% of households in Palm Springs, well below the national share of 11.6%. Palm Springs has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five California cities.
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 Palm Springs
Renters in Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3% | 32.3% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.2% | 36.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.3% | 36.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.6% | 34.2% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Palm Springs rent their homes (33.6%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Nearly half of owners (47.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is down 5.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.4% | 10.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 34.5% | 9.4% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.5% | 7.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −4.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 30.5% of the housing in Palm Springs, 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. Vacancy has fallen 4.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1983 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1984 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1986 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Palm Springs was built around 1980, the same vintage as the country's housing overall. Homes here are older than in the wider Riverside area, where the median home dates to 1986. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,039 | $1,287 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,042 | $1,332 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,214 | $1,549 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,769 | $2,083 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$730 | +$796 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Palm Springs pays $1,769 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the Riverside area as a whole ($2,083). Rent has climbed $730 a month since 2006–10, up 70%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 38.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Palm Springs
Bachelor's degrees in Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1% | 19.2% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.4% | 19.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.3% | 21.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.8% | 24.0% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.7 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Palm Springs (42.8%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 10.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south 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 Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.5% | 77.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.2% | 78.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 80.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.9% | 82.5% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +4.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Palm Springs is a bit above the national rate: 91.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.4 points, as it has nationally.
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 Palm Springs
| Period | Palm Springs | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 11.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 14.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −4.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Palm Springs than nationally: unemployment was 7.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Palm Springs 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Springs | 1.99 | 55.4 | 7.0% | 33.6% | 30.5% | 1980 | $1,769 | 42.8% | 91.9% | 7.1% |
| Cathedral City | 2.95 | 42.3 | 12.8% | 33.8% | 12.0% | 1987 | $1,746 | 22.0% | 78.5% | 6.3% |
| North Palm Springs | 2.84 | 41.9 | 6.4% | 29.7% | 20.8% | 1989 | $1,830 | 21.4% | 77.9% | 1.0% |
| Rancho Mirage | 2.03 | 63.3 | 6.9% | 18.0% | 38.0% | 1987 | $1,978 | 45.9% | 93.6% | 9.0% |
| Garnet | 2.80 | 38.6 | 16.0% | 33.1% | 10.8% | 1992 | $1,490 | 20.7% | 74.1% | 5.0% |
| Thousand Palms | 2.95 | 42.7 | 15.3% | 25.1% | 24.6% | 1988 | $1,746 | 25.7% | 83.5% | 5.3% |
| Desert Edge | 1.90 | 62.3 | 8.8% | 9.8% | 41.1% | 1983 | $930 | 17.0% | 87.7% | 6.0% |
| Desert Hot Springs | 3.02 | 36.6 | 17.8% | 44.6% | 11.4% | 1989 | $1,558 | 16.1% | 77.3% | 6.6% |
| Snow Creek | 2.51 | 46.2 | 10.3% | 22.4% | 20.6% | 1990 | $1,160 | 22.4% | 85.4% | 11.1% |
| Sky Valley | 2.28 | 53.7 | 8.9% | 15.2% | 27.9% | 1983 | $1,406 | 21.5% | 84.3% | 9.7% |
| Palm Desert | 2.13 | 52.7 | 8.7% | 35.1% | 27.7% | 1985 | $1,910 | 39.4% | 93.4% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: San Juan Capistrano, CA · Hanover, PA · Hilo, HI · Kalispell, MT · Lake Oswego, OR · Leawood, KS · Linden, NJ · Navarre, FL · Newbury Park, CA · Oakley, CA
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 Palm Springs. 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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