The City of Palm Desert incorporated on November 26, 1973. It is centrally located in the heart of the Coachella Valley in southeastern Riverside County in California. Known as the cultural and retail center of the desert communities, the City is only 122 miles east of Los Angeles, 121 miles Northwest of San Diego, and just 15 miles east of Palm Springs.

Palm Desert population

• 2024 population: 52,779 
• 2022 population: 52,284 
• 2020-2024 Growth: 0.73%
• 2029 (projected): 54,689 

Regional Population: 

20-minute drive time

• 2024 Population 217,640
• 2029 projected 222,059
• Growth 4%

30-minute drive time

• 2024 population 452378
• 2029 projected 465,203
• Growth 3%

• 2024 population 455,408
• 2004 population 361,916
• Growth 2.83% (2020-2024)

Median Household Income

• 2024: $82,035 
• 2022: $74,103
• 2029 (projected): $97,618

Palm Desert Consumer Spend

• 2024: $1.1 billion 
• 2021: 930 million
• Growth from 2021: 15% 

Regional Tourism  

• In 2023, 14.4 million visitors spent $9 billion.
• Monthly airline passenger count (PSP), 2023, 3.23 million

Transportation Access

• City access includes three points along I-10 (Monterey, Cook and Washington Streets), and two state routes, highways 111 and 74. 

Average Daily Traffic Count at sample intersections

• I-10 and Monterey Avenue: 41,000 cars
• I-10 and Cook Street: 107,000 westbound; 105,000 eastbound
• Downtown Highway 111: 31,000 westbound; 35,000 eastbound

Palm Desert is a diverse community with a wide variety of services for residents, businesses, and visitors

Colleges and Entrepreneur Center:

• College of the Desert
• UC Riverside/Palm Desert Campus
• California State University San Bernardino/Palm Desert Campus
• Entrepreneur Center; Palm Desert i-Hub

Parks and Recreation:

• Palm Desert Civic Center Park
• Palm Desert Aquatic Center
• University Dog Park
• Joe Mann Park
• Freedom Park

Arts and Theatre:

• McCallum Theatre
• Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden
• Palm Desert Branch Library

Retail Centers:

• The Shops at Palm Desert
• The Gardens on El Paseo
• El Paseo Square
• Palms to Pines West
• Presidents Plaza West
• Jenson’s Plaza
• Desert Crossing Shopping Center
• Town Center Square
• Plaza de Monterey Shopping Center
• Desert Springs Market Place
• Desert Country Plaza

Entertainment:

• Concerts in the Park at Civic Center Park
• Future Dsrt Surf Park
• The Living Desert Zoo and Botanical Garden
• BNP Paribas Tennis Tournament
• Festivals of Coachella and Stagecoach
• Acrisure Arena
• Fashion Week (El Paseo)
• Film Festival (regional)
• Modernism Week (regional)

Hotels:

Palm Desert has a growing array of hotels. Several new hotels are in the planning stages. For additional information on our hotels see the City's tourism website, Discover Palm Desert. 

Medical Services:

Palm Desert has a variety of medical care including urgent care clinics and private doctor offices. Eisenhower Medical Center is within 4 miles of the city, and Desert Regional Healthcare Hospital is within 17 miles.

Contact the Economic Development Department 

Should you have a question about the City of Palm Desert, the Economic Development staff is available to assist you. Please contact us and for information on workforce support, please view this page.