COMPARING TWO PLACES
Thermal vs Palm Desert
PLACE A
Thermal, California
VS
PLACE B
Palm Desert, California
Thermal is 97% smaller than Palm Desert. Palm Desert earns more, with a median household income $63,013 higher. Palm Desert has grown faster since 2000 (6% vs -7%).
THERMALPALM DESERTDIFFERENCE
Total population1,80053,259−97% vs Palm Desert
Population density1921,989−1,797
Population growth-6.6%5.6%−12.2 pts
Median age34.357.5−23.2
Male40.3%46.5%−6.1 pts
Female59.7%53.5%+6.1 pts
Foreign-born55.7%17.5%+38.2 pts
White, non-Hispanic1.2%63.6%−62.3 pts
Black1.8%1.6%+0.3 pts
Hispanic / Latino96.4%26.7%+69.7 pts
Asian0.3%4.7%−4.4 pts
Other0.2%3.4%−3.2 pts
Median household income$14,500$77,513−$63,013
Per capita income$17,364$57,858−$40,494
Poverty rate19.3%11.0%+8.3 pts
Income inequality (Gini)0.4430.512−0.1
Bachelor's degree or higher8.7%40.7%−32.0 pts
Graduate degree3.0%16.3%−13.2 pts
Unemployment rate4.3%6.4%−2.0 pts
Labor force participation61.3%49.3%+12.0 pts
Median home value$187,000$542,000−$355,000
Median gross rent$986$1,778−$792
Owner-occupied56.6%65.0%−8.4 pts
Housing vacancy rate17.0%33.3%−16.3 pts
Rent-burdened households57.1%60.8%−3.8 pts
Average commute22.021.0+1.0
Worked from home3.0%14.9%−11.9 pts
Public transit to work0.0%0.7%−0.7 pts
Uninsured10.6%5.5%+5.1 pts
Population, 2010 – 2024