Should I Move To
Palm Desert, California is home to about 51,290 people. On cost of living, it lands in the expensive band — 17% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,564 a month against a typical household income of $75,691. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 23 out of 100 (grade F), putting it at #990 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Palm Desert's composite cost-of-living index lands at 117 (100 = US average), which puts it in the expensive band. At $1,564/mo against $75,691 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 25% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $452,000.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is hot-summer — summer averages around 103°F, winter averages around 37°F. Precipitation totals about 4 inches a year. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go. AQI runs about 49 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Palm Desert doesn't obviously fit families. The profile-weighted score is 33/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (63/100); the soft spot is climate (7/100).
Palm Desert doesn't obviously fit retirees. The profile-weighted score is 20/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (63/100); the soft spot is climate (7/100).
Palm Desert doesn't obviously fit remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 22/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (63/100); the soft spot is climate (7/100).
Palm Desert doesn't obviously fit young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 26/100 — a F. Its standout dimension is education (63/100); the soft spot is climate (7/100).
Our overall score for Palm Desert is 23/100 — a F, sitting at #990 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Palm Desert sits at 117 — expensive, 17% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,564 a month.
Palm Desert runs hot-summer on the weather. Summer's near 103°F, winter's near 37°F; 4 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 22/100. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go.
Roughly 51,290 people live here, with 40% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 55.
Drop Palm Desert into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Palm Desert with other California cities scored on UrbRank.
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