United States › California › Palm Desert CITY · 2010 ACS
Palm Desert California · 48,445 residents · 26.8 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Palm Desert is a city of 48,445 people in California. The median age is 53.0, about 16 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $384,300, having more than doubled since 2000. Renters pay $1,160 a month at the median. Growth has run 18% since 2000, or 7,290 more people. About 34% of adults have finished a four-year degree.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 53.0
US median: 37.2
More educated
34% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 72%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 48.0 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K 29K 38K 47K 56K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Palm Desert Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $56,897
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $48,316 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $33,463 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 37.4% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Public administration 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.8%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$384,300
+72%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $176,400 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$1,160
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $744 in 2000
US average: $853
from 66.9% in 2000
34.4% rent
from 32.6% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.09 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.09 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 37.6% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 57.3% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 7.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 77.6%(31,919)
Hispanic / Latino 17.1%(7,031)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 70.4%(34,115)
Hispanic / Latino 22.8%(11,038)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data from 31.4% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 88.9% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 78.5% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 33.9% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 30.2%(6,415)
Women 15+
Never married 23.4%(5,932)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 13.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 41.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 24.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 36.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 62.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 6.5%(196)
Share of the 3,029 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Palm Desert Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Palm Desert, California? Palm Desert, California has about 48,445 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Palm Desert, California? The typical household in Palm Desert, California earns about $56,897 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 $384,300, and the typical rent is about $1,160 a month.
How educated are people in Palm Desert, California? About 33.6% 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 8.8% of people in Palm Desert, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Palm Desert, California grown since 1990? Yes, Palm Desert, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 25,193 residents, a change of about 108 percent over that period.
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