The story of this market
The typical home in Palm Springs, California sells for about $584,500, or $387 per square foot.
Prices are down 8.53% from a year ago, which gives buyers more room to negotiate. Homes take about 43 days to sell. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,569 a month.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+0.5%
CA · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Palm Springs, California
The Palm Springs housing market is currently experiencing a correction, with median prices declining year-over-year as inventory levels remain tight. While homes are selling faster than the regional average, the market is not highly competitive, providing buyers with increased negotiating power. The high vacancy rate, driven by the prevalence of vacation rentals, continues to be a defining characteristic of the local housing landscape.
No ARED county foreclosure postings attributed to Palm Springs yet — the verified ledger covers every county the foreclosure ingest has read, attributed by published city area. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Deterministic aggregate of 2 researched ZIP reports — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
Median prices moved down 3.0% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 69 days on market with 1.8 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 0% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 5.2% · poverty 11.8% — a stable, low-distress profile.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this city — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
The central hub of the city, featuring a high density of restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment venues that drive local property demand.
A culturally significant site featuring a 60-foot waterfall and hiking trails that highlight the area's natural beauty and indigenous history.
A major tourist anchor that transports visitors to the top of Mount San Jacinto, offering panoramic views and recreational access.
Palm Springs is ideal for retirees, second-home buyers, and investors seeking exposure to the vacation rental market. Its unique lifestyle, characterized by a desert climate and cultural amenities, also attracts remote workers and those looking for a resort-style living environment.
Public education in Palm Springs is primarily served by the Palm Springs Unified School District, which offers a mix of traditional and magnet programs. While some schools achieve high performance ratings, overall district outcomes vary, leading many families to consider private or charter alternatives.
The city is served by the Palm Springs International Airport and is connected to the broader region via Highway 111 and Interstate 10. Public transit is provided by SunLine Transit Agency, which operates bus routes throughout the Coachella Valley.
Palm Springs is a premier destination for outdoor recreation, featuring world-class golf courses, extensive hiking trails in the San Jacinto Mountains, and iconic mid-century modern architecture. The city's vibrant downtown offers a dense concentration of dining, boutique shopping, and cultural venues that serve both residents and tourists.
The rental market is heavily influenced by the city's popularity as a short-term vacation rental destination, which creates significant pressure on long-term housing availability. While demand remains high, vacancy rates fluctuate seasonally, and investors continue to play a major role in the local housing stock.
The economy is heavily reliant on the tourism and hospitality sectors, supported by a robust retail and service industry. Economic momentum is tied to seasonal tourism cycles and the continued appeal of the city as a premier desert destination.
The city's economy is anchored by tourism, hospitality, and retail, with ongoing development focused on downtown revitalization and luxury resort expansion. Infrastructure projects are largely aimed at supporting the high volume of seasonal visitors and improving transit connectivity within the Coachella Valley.
Development is currently focused on infill projects and the modernization of existing hospitality assets to maintain the city's competitive edge in the luxury travel market.
Parcels in Palm Springs may be subject to various special districts, including community facilities districts (CFDs) for infrastructure maintenance and local water/utility districts.
Crime trends in Palm Springs are monitored by local law enforcement, with property crime rates historically higher than the national average due to the city's status as a major tourist destination. Violent crime remains relatively stable, though residents are encouraged to utilize neighborhood watch programs and standard security precautions.
Palm Springs faces significant environmental risks, primarily from extreme heat, high winds, and wildfire threats in the surrounding desert and mountain terrain. Property insurance premiums have seen upward pressure due to these climate-related hazards, necessitating comprehensive coverage for homeowners.
The property insurance market is characterized by rising premiums due to wildfire and wind risks, with many carriers tightening underwriting standards in the region.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (California) — Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act Special Parcel Tax Assessment: Levies an annual direct, non-ad valorem special tax directly on the parcel's secured property tax bill to fund designated community infrastructure (e.g., roads, sewer facilities, school facilities, emergency services) and repay municipal debt bonds. State (California) — California Homeowners' Property Tax Exemption: Reduces the taxable assessed value of the qualifying owner-occupied principal residence by $7,000 against the county assessment roll, generating a direct tax savings of approximately $70 annually (computed as $7,000 × 1% base rate). State (California) — California Proposition 13 Ad Valorem Real Property Tax: Establishes a base ad valorem tax rate capped at 1.0% of assessed value plus voter-approved local indebtedness and direct assessments (typically resulting in an effective tax rate of 1.1% to 1.25%).
Researched annual trajectory for this city, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 5.9%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Data retrieved from US Census Bureau QuickFacts and Data USA profiles.
No public schools report a street address in this area. Source: NCES EDGE public school locations 2023-24.
Parcels must comply with the California Subdivision Map Act and Title 18 of the Riverside County Code for legal division, sale, lease, or financing.
California Government Code Section 66499.35; Riverside County Code Title 18
The base tax rate is 1% of the assessed value, plus additional voter-approved debt rates specific to the parcel's Tax Rate Area (TRA).
California Constitution Article XIIIA; Riverside County Auditor-Controller Tax Rate Schedules
applies when — Parcels containing residential units located in the desert areas of Sky Valley, Indio Hills, portions of Bermuda Dunes, and North Shore.
Imposes mandatory parcel charges for the collection of solid waste as established by the Board of Supervisors.
Riverside County Ordinance No. 788 (2023)
Property is assessed at a base-year value upon acquisition or new construction. The assessed value is limited to a maximum annual increase of 2% unless a change in ownership or new construction occurs, which triggers a reassessment to market value. Supplemental assessments are issued for mid-year changes.
California Constitution Article XIIIA; Revenue and Taxation Code Sections 60-69
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.