Economy, jobs and prices in Palm Desert, California: official figures
The median household income in Palm Desert was $77,513 a year in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey (in 2024 dollars), 376th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US median was $80,734 and the California median $99,122.
What is the per capita income in Palm Desert?
Income per resident (per capita income) in Palm Desert averaged $57,858 a year in 2020-2024, 133rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $44,673; California: $49,513).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Palm Desert?
Palm Desert's Gini index of household income inequality was 0.512 in 2020-2024 (0 means equal incomes, 1 maximum inequality), 67th most unequal of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US figure was 0.483.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Palm Desert, California?
6.4% of the civilian labor force in Palm Desert was unemployed on average over 2020-2024 (1,443 people), 217th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more; the US rate in the same survey was 5.2% and California's 6.6%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Palm Desert have jobs?
21,236 residents of Palm Desert held civilian jobs, 46.2% of those aged 16 and over (US: 59.7%), and 6 served in the armed forces.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat are the main industries in Palm Desert?
The largest industry group for working residents of Palm Desert was arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services (19.7% of employed residents), followed by education, health care and social assistance (18.6%) and professional, scientific, management and administrative services (15.6%), 2020-2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people in Palm Desert work in manufacturing?
Manufacturing employed 4.2% of working residents of Palm Desert, 45th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 9.9%); professional, scientific and management services employed 15.6% (US: 12.6%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow long is the commute in Palm Desert, California?
Commuters in Palm Desert took 21.0 minutes on average to get to work in 2020-2024, 198th shortest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 26.4 minutes); 5.3% travelled an hour or more and 35.1% less than 15 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow do people in Palm Desert get to work?
14.9% of workers living in Palm Desert worked from home in 2020-2024, 353rd highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 15.1%). 69.0% drove to work alone, 13.3% carpooled, 0.7% used public transport and 1.1% walked.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyWhat is the average rent in Palm Desert, California?
The median gross rent (rent plus utilities) in Palm Desert was $1,778 a month in 2020-2024, 289th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $1,413; California: $2,036).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow much does a house cost in Palm Desert?
Owner-occupied homes in Palm Desert had a median value of $542,000 in 2020-2024 as estimated by their owners, 227th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: $332,700; California: $734,700).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow affordable are homes in Palm Desert?
The median home value in Palm Desert was 7.0 times the median household income, 126th highest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 4.1 times).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Palm Desert have no internet?
3.9% of households in Palm Desert (975) had no internet access at home in 2020-2024, 304th lowest of 823 US cities of 50,000 or more (US: 6.5%); 11.3% relied on a cellular data plan alone (US: 11.5%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow Palm Desert compares with other cities in the United States
Median household income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 448 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median household income (2024 dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 445 | Gresham | $77,795 |
| 446 | Sunrise | $77,652 |
| 447 | Gallatin | $77,518 |
| 448 | Palm Desert | $77,513 |
| 449 | Columbus | $77,456 |
| 450 | Bloomington | $77,384 |
| 451 | Nashville | $77,371 |
Per capita income (2024 dollars) (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 133 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Per capita income (2024 dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| 130 | Rocklin | $58,054 |
| 131 | Bentonville | $58,047 |
| 132 | Union City | $57,977 |
| 133 | Palm Desert | $57,858 |
| 134 | Rochester Hills | $57,833 |
| 135 | Fishers | $57,737 |
| 136 | Hoover | $57,551 |
Gini index of household income inequality (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 67 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 64 | Philadelphia | 0.513 |
| 65 | Detroit | 0.513 |
| 66 | Tallahassee | 0.513 |
| 67 | Palm Desert | 0.512 |
| 68 | Wilmington | 0.512 |
| 69 | Lafayette | 0.512 |
| 70 | Gary | 0.511 |
Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 217 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate (share of civilian labor force) |
|---|---|---|
| 214 | Elk Grove | 6.4% |
| 215 | Oakland | 6.4% |
| 216 | Beaumont | 6.4% |
| 217 | Palm Desert | 6.4% |
| 218 | Waukegan | 6.4% |
| 219 | Washington | 6.3% |
| 220 | Yuma | 6.3% |
Labor force participation rate (16 and over) (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 821 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Labor force participation rate (16 and over) |
|---|---|---|
| 817 | Daytona Beach | 51.4% |
| 818 | Palm Coast | 51.2% |
| 819 | Gary | 50.2% |
| 820 | Youngstown | 50.2% |
| 821 | Palm Desert | 49.3% |
| 822 | Lake Havasu City | 47.3% |
| 823 | Bonita Springs | 44.4% |
Mean travel time to work (minutes) (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 626 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Mean travel time to work (minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| 623 | Albany | 21.0 |
| 624 | Bloomington | 21.0 |
| 625 | Santa Fe | 21.0 |
| 626 | Palm Desert | 21.0 |
| 627 | Temple | 21.0 |
| 628 | Baton Rouge | 21.0 |
| 629 | Lexington | 20.9 |
Workers who worked from home (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 353 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Workers who worked from home |
|---|---|---|
| 350 | Albuquerque | 15.0% |
| 351 | Brooklyn Park | 14.9% |
| 352 | Fayetteville | 14.9% |
| 353 | Palm Desert | 14.9% |
| 354 | New Orleans | 14.9% |
| 355 | Fullerton | 14.9% |
| 356 | Lansing | 14.8% |
Workers commuting by public transportation (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 522 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Workers commuting by public transportation |
|---|---|---|
| 519 | Grand Junction | 0.8% |
| 520 | Wichita | 0.7% |
| 521 | Napa | 0.7% |
| 522 | Palm Desert | 0.7% |
| 523 | Charleston | 0.7% |
| 524 | Laredo | 0.7% |
| 525 | Salinas | 0.7% |
Employed residents working in manufacturing (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 779 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Employed residents working in manufacturing |
|---|---|---|
| 776 | Berkeley | 4.3% |
| 777 | Harlingen | 4.3% |
| 778 | Apopka | 4.3% |
| 779 | Palm Desert | 4.2% |
| 780 | Delray Beach | 4.2% |
| 781 | Miami Beach | 4.2% |
| 782 | Daytona Beach | 4.1% |
Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 740 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Employed residents in education, health care and social assistance |
|---|---|---|
| 737 | Elgin | 18.7% |
| 738 | Carrollton | 18.7% |
| 739 | Eden Prairie | 18.6% |
| 740 | Palm Desert | 18.6% |
| 741 | Bonita Springs | 18.6% |
| 742 | Elkhart | 18.6% |
| 743 | West New York | 18.6% |
Median gross rent per month (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 289 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median gross rent per month |
|---|---|---|
| 286 | Burien | $1,782 |
| 287 | Sacramento | $1,779 |
| 288 | Minnetonka | $1,779 |
| 289 | Palm Desert | $1,778 |
| 290 | Sandy | $1,777 |
| 291 | Deerfield Beach | $1,774 |
| 292 | West Palm Beach | $1,772 |
Median value of owner-occupied homes (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 227 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median value of owner-occupied homes |
|---|---|---|
| 224 | Woodland | $548,200 |
| 225 | Auburn | $547,900 |
| 226 | Coral Springs | $545,400 |
| 227 | Palm Desert | $542,000 |
| 228 | Naperville | $540,200 |
| 229 | Salt Lake City | $539,500 |
| 230 | Menifee | $537,300 |
Median home value as a multiple of median household income (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 123 of 820, highest first.
| Rank | City | Median home value as a multiple of median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | Richmond | 7.0x |
| 121 | Milpitas | 7.0x |
| 122 | Burien | 7.0x |
| 123 | Palm Desert | 7.0x |
| 124 | Chico | 7.0x |
| 125 | Upland | 7.0x |
| 126 | Fall River | 7.0x |
Occupied homes lived in by their owners (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 246 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Occupied homes lived in by their owners |
|---|---|---|
| 243 | Alpharetta | 65.1% |
| 244 | Rochester | 65.1% |
| 245 | Chandler | 65.0% |
| 246 | Palm Desert | 65.0% |
| 247 | Tracy | 65.0% |
| 248 | Bristol | 64.9% |
| 249 | Kettering | 64.9% |
Households with a broadband subscription (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 538 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Households with a broadband subscription |
|---|---|---|
| 535 | Clifton | 91.3% |
| 536 | Oak Lawn | 91.3% |
| 537 | Pembroke Pines | 91.3% |
| 538 | Palm Desert | 91.3% |
| 539 | Hollywood | 91.3% |
| 540 | Killeen | 91.3% |
| 541 | Pompano Beach | 91.3% |
Households with no internet access (2020-2024)
Palm Desert ranks 520 of 823, highest first.
| Rank | City | Households with no internet access |
|---|---|---|
| 517 | Burbank | 4.0% |
| 518 | Aurora | 4.0% |
| 519 | Athens | 4.0% |
| 520 | Palm Desert | 3.9% |
| 521 | Colorado Springs | 3.9% |
| 522 | Sunrise | 3.9% |
| 523 | Lexington | 3.9% |
More on Palm Desert: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B08013: Aggregate Travel Time to Work (in Minutes) of Workers by Sex (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 6939fdfa046fd5bb829ec8da9549e66298cc740f6a3f5dd60e1920a08e3083fb), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5f94e7878b6a…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B23025: Employment Status for the Population 16 Years and Over (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 264a5bd9367c5f58d9773fa4966fa94fe1e02f9c7106bc2ab39168d6de7c3e4a), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2630e6946370…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini Index of Income Inequality (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 338f7a1191eaaf3913913e78c36aaa9d82f2b5c8faaf889be2e597b28869205e), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b8cf854b1f94…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table C24030: Sex by Industry for the Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 66a2799a71a5fc36f0e3bc22767fe5bdd8f96eb29e85b91311e990d35cc14114), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5d717c57e7e4…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B19013: Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 b25a176b0e6c339b6f3a2a0d3d8446bf06f5f080b4395993ec9a8313efb1c229), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1d8a264807c6…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B08301: Means of Transportation to Work (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 552b24c135b6e7c566910914a861cda6fc798ba0cd47801b1eb64295a128c2ee), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 eaf823006d53…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B19301: Per Capita Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 9fc107e98fee7fa49bb8314560205569184fad65fb64b80adb5c5bdd83ccc409), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 24c1e725b26a…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25064: Median Gross Rent (Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 b36e6dc1fcef36b8b307d31b37517b64c80d8b9c70d48c9b1894242860f42eb0), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b842a7ff825c…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25077: Median Value (Dollars) (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 89eb2153764a2330b23959d8bbc29b3a8f3016f087b990f2a8ea0d5096d9a816), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 22b59a3b1acb…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B28002: Presence and Types of Internet Subscriptions in Household (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 12446ff0691b8818f5908cdc398817361772c5b3078c506d0409adc9c841840b), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4b375b368bf9…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, table B25003: Tenure (Summary File rows for the US, the states and the listed cities, copied unchanged from the full file, sha256 68e963e1ed60fcf6b0658579cefc6498b7a9eb780b9f3e87fd1b9775c4d4ac6c), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2983c28f47fa…)
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