State
County
Land Area (mi²)
26.8 sq mi
Density (mi²)
1,998.0/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
0.27%
Growth Since 2010
10.57%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Palm Desert is a city located in Riverside County California. With a 2020 population of 53,567, it is the 172nd largest city in California and the 740th largest city in the United States . Palm Desert is currently growing at a rate of 0.27% annually and its population has increased by 10.57% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 48,445 in 2010. Palm Desert reached it's highest population of 53,567 in 2021. Spanning over 27 miles, Palm Desert has a population density of 1,998 people per square mile.
The average household income in Palm Desert is $94,797 with a poverty rate of 13.14%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $1,319 per month, and the median house value is $350,400. The median age in Palm Desert is 54.5 years, 51 years for males, and 56.9 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Palm Desert was:
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White | 43,372 | 82.50% |
| Some Other Race | 2,717 | 5.17% |
| Asian | 2,624 | 4.99% |
| Two or More Races | 2,062 | 3.92% |
| Black or African American | 1,573 | 2.99% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 168 | 0.32% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 59 | 0.11% |
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 24,396 | 2.14 | 62.8 |
| Married | 10,835 | 2.72 | 76.7 |
| Non Family | 10,661 | 1.25 | 54.3 |
| Female | 1,934 | 3.08 | 42.4 |
| Male | 966 | 3.63 | 42 |
2.77
Average Family Size
2.14
Average Household Size
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 1,269 | 3.05% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,944 | 4.67% |
| High School Graduate | 8,315 | 19.99% |
| Some College | 11,370 | 27.33% |
| Associates Degree | 3,378 | 8.12% |
| Bachelors Degree | 9,348 | 22.47% |
| Graduate Degree | 5,978 | 14.37% |
| Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 30,567 | 29,436 | 12,761 |
| Hispanic | 7,462 | 5,807 | 1,208 |
| Asian | 1,906 | 1,610 | 749 |
| Other Race | 1,425 | 990 | 195 |
| 2+ Races | 1,090 | 971 | 369 |
| Black | 893 | 823 | 276 |
| Native American | 106 | 86 | 6 |
| Islander | 52 | 52 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 41.75%.
$38,261
Average Earnings
$42,321
Average Male
$31,963
Average Female
75.47% of Palm Desert residents speak only English, while 24.53% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 16.67% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 34,538 | 3,552 | 10.28% |
| Hispanic | 12,264 | 2,088 | 17.03% |
| Asian | 2,624 | 563 | 21.46% |
| Black | 1,569 | 506 | 32.25% |
| Other | 2,685 | 331 | 12.33% |
| Multiple | 2,039 | 121 | 5.93% |
13.14%
Overall Poverty Rate
12.27%
Male Poverty Rate
13.96%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Palm Desert is Black, with 32.25% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Palm Desert is Multiple, with 5.93% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.15%. Among those working part-time, it was 13.68%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 17.95%.
50.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
54.2%
Male Marriage Rate
46.8%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,091 | 10.68% |
| Hispanic | 262 | 2.96% |
| Black | 103 | 8.07% |
| Other Race | 95 | 4.91% |
| Asian | 92 | 4.37% |
| 2+ Races | 38 | 3.14% |
| Islander | 13 | 22.03% |
5.22%
Veteran Poverty Rate
37.26%
Veteran Disability Rate
49.6%
Labor Force Participation
47%
Employment Rate
5.2%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
80.84%
Native Born
19.16%
Foreign Born
8.74%
Non Citizen
10.43%
Naturalized
80.84% of Palm Desert residents were born in the United States, with 45.55% having been born in California. 8.74% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 53,567 | 146 | 0.27% |
| 2020 | 53,421 | 146 | 0.27% |
| 2019 | 53,275 | 146 | 0.27% |
| 2018 | 53,129 | 335 | 0.63% |
| 2017 | 52,794 | 717 | 1.38% |
| 2016 | 52,077 | 525 | 1.02% |
| 2015 | 51,552 | 636 | 1.25% |
| 2014 | 50,916 | 559 | 1.11% |
| 2013 | 50,357 | 582 | 1.17% |
| 2012 | 49,775 | 524 | 1.06% |
| 2011 | 49,251 | 567 | 1.16% |
| 2010 | 48,684 | 7,529 | 1.69% |
| 2000 | 41,155 | 17,903 | 5.88% |
| 1990 | 23,252 | 11,451 | 7.02% |
| 1980 | 11,801 | 5,630 | 6.70% |
| 1970 | 6,171 | 4,876 | 16.90% |
| 1960 | 1,295 | 0.00% |