Residential comparison · 13 facts
Desert Hot Springs, CA vs Palm Desert, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Desert Hot Springs needs about $94,500 in Palm Desert to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Palm Desert, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $75,500 in Desert Hot Springs.
A few differences
- Palm Desert is higher on median household income ($77,513 vs $52,761).
- Desert Hot Springs is lower on cost of living index (106 vs 125).
- Desert Hot Springs is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,366/mo vs $1,934/mo).
Desert Hot Springs vs Palm Desert · facet by facet
| Facet | Desert Hot Springs, CA | Palm Desert, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $354,800 | $542,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,366/mo | $1,934/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 106 | 125 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $52,761 | $77,513 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Desert Hot Springs, CA · Palm Desert, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Desert Hot Springs cheaper than Palm Desert?
- Desert Hot Springs has the lower day-to-day cost index (106 vs 125 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Palm Desert equals $85,000 in Desert Hot Springs?
- A household earning $85,000 in Desert Hot Springs needs about $94,500 in Palm Desert to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Palm Desert lifestyle costs about $75,500 in Desert Hot Springs.