Population 8,340 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Thousand Palms
Household size in Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.82 | 3.35 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.03 | 3.43 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.84 | 3.42 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.95 | 3.34 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.12 | −0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Thousand Palms is a place of big households: 2.95 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Even so, the typical household here is smaller than in the Riverside area as a whole, where it has 3.34 people. Household size has climbed from 2.82 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.6 | 33.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.9 | 34.6 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.4 | 35.9 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.7 | 37.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.9 | +3.4 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Thousand Palms is 42.7 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 45.6, even as the national median rose.
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 Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 15.2% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.7% | 15.7% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 14.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 14.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Thousand Palms: 15.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. That is in line with the rest of the Riverside area. The single-parent share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Thousand Palms
Renters in Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 32.3% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.8% | 36.6% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.8% | 36.7% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.1% | 34.2% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.5 pts | +1.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Thousand Palms own their homes; 25.1% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 38.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has risen 8.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.2% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.1% | 10.9% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 25.0% | 9.4% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.6% | 7.8% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | −4.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 24.6% of the housing in Thousand 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 7.4 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1983 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1984 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1984 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1986 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Thousand Palms has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,254 | $1,287 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,277 | $1,332 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,216 | $1,549 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,746 | $2,083 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$492 | +$796 | +$931 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Thousand Palms costs $1,746 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the wider Riverside area ($2,083). Rent has climbed $492 a month since 2006–10, up 39%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 39.3% of household income on rent, 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 Thousand Palms
Bachelor's degrees in Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 19.2% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 19.4% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 21.2% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 24.0% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Thousand Palms than nationally: 25.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the northwest.
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 Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.2% | 77.9% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 75.1% | 78.6% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.6% | 80.6% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.5% | 82.5% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +4.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Thousand Palms never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. That is in line with the rest of the Riverside area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.3 points, mirroring the country.
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 Thousand Palms
| Period | Thousand Palms | Riverside area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 11.4% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 14.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 7.7% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −4.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in Thousand Palms is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the Riverside area overall (6.8%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.8 points, as it has nationally.
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).
Thousand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thousand Palms | 2.95 | 42.7 | 15.3% | 25.1% | 24.6% | 1988 | $1,746 | 25.7% | 83.5% | 5.3% |
| Rancho Mirage | 2.03 | 63.3 | 6.9% | 18.0% | 38.0% | 1987 | $1,978 | 45.9% | 93.6% | 9.0% |
| Cathedral City | 2.95 | 42.3 | 12.8% | 33.8% | 12.0% | 1987 | $1,746 | 22.0% | 78.5% | 6.3% |
| Palm Desert | 2.13 | 52.7 | 8.7% | 35.1% | 27.7% | 1985 | $1,910 | 39.4% | 93.4% | 7.0% |
| Desert Palms | 1.72 | 77.5 | 2.8% | 13.6% | 22.8% | 2000 | $2,709 | 44.2% | 95.6% | 4.0% |
| Sky Valley | 2.28 | 53.7 | 8.9% | 15.2% | 27.9% | 1983 | $1,406 | 21.5% | 84.3% | 9.7% |
| Indian Wells | 2.05 | 64.7 | 1.9% | 17.8% | 45.8% | 1987 | $2,093 | 62.1% | 96.7% | 7.7% |
| Desert Edge | 1.90 | 62.3 | 8.8% | 9.8% | 41.1% | 1983 | $930 | 17.0% | 87.7% | 6.0% |
| Palm Springs | 1.99 | 55.4 | 7.0% | 33.6% | 30.5% | 1980 | $1,769 | 42.8% | 91.9% | 7.1% |
| Garnet | 2.80 | 38.6 | 16.0% | 33.1% | 10.8% | 1992 | $1,490 | 20.7% | 74.1% | 5.0% |
| Indio | 3.00 | 40.3 | 13.1% | 35.1% | 12.5% | 1990 | $1,768 | 19.8% | 74.2% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Rusk, TX · Lake Hallie, WI · Lake Mills, WI · Lake of the Woods, VA · Lakeview, NY · Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL · Lawton, MI · Lebanon, IL · Lebanon, NJ · Longboat Key, 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 Thousand 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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