Desert Hot Springs, California Income Statistics
Desert Hot Springs Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Desert Hot Springs Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Desert Hot Springs | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,067 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $37,623 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.8% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.3% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.5% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Desert Hot Springs is about 49% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Desert Hot Springs (5.8%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Desert Hot Springs earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Desert Hot Springs, California grew by 48.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,067 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.8% per year.
Desert Hot Springs has been far below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024. The gap has widened from 33% in 2009, the closest it has been, to 37% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Desert Hot Springs
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 2,054 households (22.4% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 34.5% of households in Desert Hot Springs had an income under $35,000 and 7.7% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Desert Hot Springs has a larger share of households earning $25,000 to $34,999 (12.3% vs 6.7%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (1.5% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 617 | 6.7% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 403 | 4.4% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,021 | 11.1% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,128 | 12.3% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,353 | 14.7% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,459 | 15.9% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 1,151 | 12.5% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 1,346 | 14.7% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 574 | 6.2% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 134 | 1.5% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 9,185 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 904 residents (4.3% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 5.2% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 17.2% of Desert Hot Springs residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 34.8% had some income but less than $25,000, and 8.8% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Desert Hot Springs has a larger share of residents earning $25,000 to $34,999 (16.4% vs 9.5%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (4.3% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 3,641 | 17.2% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 2,706 | 12.8% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,719 | 8.1% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,920 | 13.8% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 3,461 | 16.4% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 3,077 | 14.6% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,750 | 8.3% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 947 | 4.5% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 904 | 4.3% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 21,125 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 17.2% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Desert Hot Springs
| Metric | Desert Hot Springs | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.551 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $42,156 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,360 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 9.0% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Desert Hot Springs, it is 0.551, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 10% more than women's income in Desert Hot Springs, California. Over a 35-year career, a 10% wage gap accumulates to roughly $132,860 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Desert Hot Springs, California has narrowed from about 14% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 18% in 2010, and was narrowest at 4% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $921 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Desert Hot Springs | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.4% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 844 people are unemployed in Desert Hot Springs, California.
The average commute time in Desert Hot Springs is 23 minutes, about the same as in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Desert Hot Springs, California has fallen from 17.3% to 6.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 18.3% in 2013.
Desert Hot Springs has stayed well above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never dropped below it. The gap has narrowed from 8.6 points in 2011 to 1.3 points in 2024, the closest it has been.
Desert Hot Springs, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How Desert Hot Springs, CA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Hot Springs, CA | 26,986 | $51,067 #2/2 | 5.8%/yr #2/2 | 6.5% #2/2 | 0.551 #2/2 |
| Cathedral City, CA | 45,926 | $75,804 | 7.7%/yr | 6.4% | 0.549 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Desert Hot Springs, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Desert Hot Springs, California.
How Rich Is Desert Hot Springs, California?
Desert Hot Springs has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $51,067, about 49% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Desert Hot Springs, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Desert Hot Springs, California rose 48%, from $34,476 to $51,067. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +48% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Desert Hot Springs in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Desert Hot Springs, California was $45,971, up 1% from $45,639 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Desert Hot Springs in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Desert Hot Springs, California was $36,696. By 2024 it had risen 39% to $51,067.
What is the Gini coefficient in Desert Hot Springs, California?
The Gini coefficient in Desert Hot Springs is 0.551. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Desert Hot Springs, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Desert Hot Springs, California has narrowed from about 14% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 18% in 2010, and was narrowest at 4% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $921 since 2009.
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