Palm Springs, CA
Census place 0655254 · pop 45,070
A desert resort city famous for its mid-century modern architecture and decades as a Hollywood celebrity getaway.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
147 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
87 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.55 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-5.9% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3253 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
608 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
5.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$604,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,163/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
35.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$73,119 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
11.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
65.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
23.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
22 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.74% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
10.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
44.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
13.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
Frequently asked
- Is Palm Springs, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Palm Springs scores 34/100 — a F (Bad) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is poor mental health and its weakest is unhealthy air days. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Palm Springs, CA?
- Palm Springs reports 608 violent crimes per 100k and 3253 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Palm Springs, CA expensive to live in?
- Palm Springs has a median home value of $604,000 and typical rent around $2,163/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Palm Springs, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is unhealthy air days (147 days) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Palm Springs, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is poor mental health (13.6%) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: A desert resort city famous for its mid-century modern architecture and decades as a Hollywood celebrity getaway.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.