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Palm Desert, California

city · Riverside County

At a glance

51,990
Population
$542,000
Median home value (all homes)
79% above U.S. median
$544,379
Typical market value
Zillow, 2026-07
$1,778/mo
Median rent
32% above U.S. median
$77,513
Median household income
1% below U.S. median
21 min
Average commute
91.3%
Homes with broadband
31.71%
Locations with fiber available
6.4%
Unemployment

Cost of living (Clay Affordability Index)

CAI 125 — 25% above the national average. how it's computed

Housing96% above
Goods & services1% above
Utilities3% above
Taxes34% below
Insurance11% below
Commute cost12% above
For business: California is CBII band 4/5 · time to build band 5/5. See state page for the breakdown.

Living here

Colleges in town:
Nearest 4-year college51 mi
Nearest community college1 mi
Nearest technical college2 mi
High school graduates93.6%
College graduates40.7%

Doing business here

Economic development contacts, most local first:

region Inland Empire Economic Partnership
IEEP unites business, government, and community leaders to create a thriving Inland Empire region. It focuses on harnessing this potential through strategic initiatives that bolster human capital, improve transportation infrastructure, enhance educational outcomes, and elevate environmental quality.
state Governor's Office of Economic Development
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth, economic development and business assistance efforts. It offers no-cost consultation to business owners for attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and more.
state Team California
TeamCalifornia is the go-to partner for businesses, site selectors, and communities looking to succeed in California. With our extensive network, we provide direct access to the best sites, accelerate speed-to-market, and give essential resources to streamline decision-making and drive growth.
State sales taxYes
State income taxYes
Right-to-work stateNo

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