Is Palm Desert, CA growing?

Name: Growth in Palm Desert, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Palm Desert, CA had an estimated 51,990 (±43) residents in 2020–2024, against 52,575 in 2015–2019.

That is a change of −1.1%, a measurable decrease.

Its housing went from 39,751 to 37,028 homes (−6.9%), a measurable decrease.

1.0% of today’s homes were built in 2020 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Residents now: 51,990 (±43)
Amount of change: −1.1%
Homes change: −6.9%
Built 2020 or later: 1.0%

Residents and homes in Palm Desert, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Residents	52,575 (±68)	51,990 (±43)	−1.1%	Measurable decrease
Housing units	39,751 (±870)	37,028 (±666)	−6.9%	Measurable decrease
Households that rent	37.2% (±2.1 points)	35.0% (±2.2 points)	−2.2 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,319 (±$40)	$1,778 (±$53)	+34.8%	Up after inflation
Median home value	$350,400 (±$11,562)	$542,000 (±$25,109)	+54.7%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Growth in Palm Desert against Riverside County, its state and the nation

Change between 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
	Residents	Verdict	Housing units
Palm Desert	−1.1%	Measurable decrease	−6.9%
Riverside County	+2.8%	Measurable increase	+3.4%
California	0.0%	Measurable increase	+3.3%
United States	+3.1%	Measurable increase	+4.6%

A change in a place’s boundaries between the two periods (an annexation, say) changes its counts as well; the Census Bureau’s figures are for the place as it was drawn in each period.

New homes in Palm Desert

Housing units by year built, 2020–2024
Year built	Palm Desert	Riverside County	California	United States
2020 or later	1.0% (±0.4 points)	2.0%	1.3%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	4.9% (±0.9 points)	9.4%	6.5%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	12.2% (±1.3 points)	24.1%	11.2%	13.6%

5.9% of the homes in Palm Desert were built in 2010 or later.

The median age of residents is 57.5 years.

Growth in places near Palm Desert

Change in residents between 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Place	Distance	Residents now	Amount of change	Verdict
Palm Desert	—	51,990	−1.1%	Measurable decrease
Indian Wells	3.3 mi	4,871	−9.3%	Measurable decrease
Rancho Mirage	4.2 mi	17,563	−3.5%	Measurable decrease
Bermuda Dunes	4.4 mi	7,971	+18.9%	Measurable increase
Desert Palms	4.8 mi	6,579	−2.6%	Not a measurable change
Thousand Palms	5.4 mi	7,720	+13.6%	Not a measurable change
Indio	7.4 mi	91,950	+2.8%	Measurable increase
La Quinta	8.1 mi	38,707	−5.8%	Measurable decrease
Cathedral City	8.8 mi	52,267	−3.8%	Measurable decrease

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Palm Desert

Is Palm Desert growing?

Palm Desert, CA had an estimated 51,990 residents in 2020–2024 and 52,575 in 2015–2019, a change of −1.1%: a measurable decrease by the Census Bureau’s test.

How many homes have been added in Palm Desert?

The estimated number of housing units went from 39,751 in 2015–2019 to 37,028 in 2020–2024 (−6.9%), a measurable decrease.

How much new construction is there in Palm Desert?

1.0% of homes in Palm Desert were built in 2020 or later and 4.9% between 2010 and 2019.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Palm Desert city, California (place:55184, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25001_001E, B25001_001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP05_0018E, DP05_0018M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.