CITY · 1990 CENSUS
Palm Desert
California · 23,252 residents · 26.777 sq mi
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Part of the Riverside metro area
The short version
Palm Desert is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $37,315. Population has fallen 44% since 2000, a loss of 17,903 residents. Median home value is $172,300. With a median age of 42.4, the population is older than the US median of 33.0.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 42.4
US median: 33.0
More educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01
Population & growth
Population, 1990 – 2024
202452K
Age distribution, 1990
Under 54.8%(1,109)
5 to 94.3%(1,003)
10 to 145%(1,169)
15 to 195.1%(1,183)
20 to 245.7%(1,333)
25 to 3414.9%(3,462)
35 to 4413.6%(3,166)
45 to 5410.8%(2,520)
55 to 6412.4%(2,889)
65 to 7415%(3,485)
75 to 846.4%(1,494)
85 and over1.9%(439)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$37,315
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $48,316 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Section 03
Housing
$172,300
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $176,400 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Palm Desert on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic77.6%(31,919)
Black1.1%(446)
Hispanic / Latino17.1%(7,031)
Asian2.5%(1,036)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic91.2%(21,211)
Black1%(225)
Hispanic / Latino13.4%(3,121)
Asian1.6%(369)
Other6.2%(1,447)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Hispanic origin
Mexican21.6%(11,252)
Central American1%(520)
Spaniard0.7%(389)
Puerto Rican0.5%(259)
South American0.5%(259)
Cuban0.5%(240)
Honduran0.3%(151)
Guatemalan0.3%(150)
Salvadoran0.2%(124)
Venezuelan0.1%(71)
Argentine0.1%(67)
Colombian0.1%(53)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino1.3%(681)
Asian Indian0.8%(436)
Chinese0.8%(415)
Korean0.5%(283)
Japanese0.4%(215)
Vietnamese0.3%(142)
Thai0.1%(65)
Taiwanese0.1%(48)
Sri Lankan0.1%(42)
Ancestry
German12.4%(6,424)
Irish12%(6,243)
English11.8%(6,144)
Italian5.6%(2,916)
American4.3%(2,213)
French3.2%(1,664)
Scottish2.6%(1,377)
Polish2.4%(1,224)
Swedish2.1%(1,087)
Norwegian1.8%(929)
Russian1.8%(920)
Danish1.3%(654)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1%(499)
Arab0.9%(478)
Canadian0.9%(443)
Greek0.8%(408)
Armenian0.7%(344)
Hungarian0.7%(344)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(338)
Portuguese0.6%(300)
Welsh0.6%(297)
Swiss0.5%(273)
Subsaharan African0.5%(237)
Lithuanian0.4%(217)
French Canadian0.4%(213)
Austrian0.4%(206)
Ukrainian0.4%(189)
Lebanese0.4%(183)
Iranian0.4%(182)
Czech0.3%(177)
Bulgarian0.3%(175)
Macedonian0.3%(150)
Serbian0.2%(114)
Belgian0.2%(100)
British0.2%(97)
West Indian0.2%(94)
Croatian0.2%(88)
Australian0.2%(87)
Nigerian0.2%(85)
Egyptian0.2%(78)
Finnish0.1%(63)
Romanian0.1%(62)
Israeli0.1%(58)
Palestinian0.1%(53)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(53)
Slovak0.1%(40)
Jordanian0%(20)
Moroccan0%(18)
Brazilian0%(17)
Jamaican0%(16)
Latvian0%(11)
Slovene0%(6)
Turkish0%(6)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
86.2%
−2.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 88.9% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community
No data for the years selected.
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married30.2%(6,415)
Married55.7%(11,831)
Widowed2.5%(526)
Divorced11.7%(2,479)
Women 15+
Never married23.4%(5,932)
Married47.4%(12,007)
Widowed13.7%(3,462)
Divorced15.6%(3,942)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Palm Desert, California?
Palm Desert, California has about 23,252 residents according to the 1990 Census.
What is the median household income in Palm Desert, California?
The typical household in Palm Desert, California earns about $37,315 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Palm Desert, California expensive?
In Palm Desert, California, the median home is worth about $172,300, and the typical rent is about $696 a month.
How educated are people in Palm Desert, California?
About 23.6% of adults age 25 and over in Palm Desert, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Palm Desert, California?
About 7.1% of people in Palm Desert, California live below the federal poverty line.
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CaliforniaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024