Desert Hot Springs, CA

This city of 34,314 residents needs 1,589 more housing units over the next five years. Desert Hot Springs is part of the Southern California Association of Governments.

Housing snapshot

Population
34,314 (2026)
Households
11,583
Median household income
$61,867 (2026)
Typical home value
$375,542
Owner-occupied
46%
Five-year housing need
1,589 units

Comparison to other California municipalities

Desert Hot Springs: $61,867 Median income (2026 estimate)
<$27K >$231K
Desert Hot Springs: 0.44 jobs to household ratio
<0.15 >2.52
Desert Hot Springs: Permits since 2021 represent 6.3% of housing
<0% >10.5%
On this page

How affordable is this community?

At $375,542, homes in Desert Hot Springs, CA cost well below the California average of $713,253. At a median household income of $61,867 in Desert Hot Springs, CA, affordability is stretched, with households needing roughly $29,729 more to comfortably afford the typical home.

This chart tracks whether housing prices are keeping pace with local incomes. The gap between what homes cost and what households can afford reveals affordability trends over time.

How is the population changing?

Desert Hot Springs, CA has a population of roughly 33,200, growing modestly at 1.4% per year.

Population growth patterns reveal how communities are evolving. This chart shows historical population changes by age group and projects future trends based on demographic patterns.

How has employment changed over time?

Jobs by industry sector since 2012. Switch between local jobs — counted where the jobs are located — and resident jobs, counted where the workers live. On the local view the most recent year is a nowcast: it grows the latest local LODES job mix forward using recent county employment growth from QCEW and the BLS local employment series, so the newest point tracks today's economy instead of data that is roughly two years old.

How are households changing by income?

With roughly 11,583 households, Desert Hot Springs, CA is growing modestly at 1.4% per year.

Understanding how households at different income levels are growing or declining helps identify which groups face the greatest housing pressure and where new housing is most needed.

Who lives here today?

In Desert Hot Springs, CA, detached single-family accounts for 64% of the housing stock. Desert Hot Springs, CA is roughly split between owners and renters, at 46% owner-occupied.

Households may have different structure type preferences depending on characteristics such as household size, income, employment, presence of children, age of individuals, and lifestyle choices. Understanding the housing stock in corresponding terms helps assess how well existing units align with existing households' ideals.

What does the housing stock look like?

The mix of housing types and ownership patterns shapes a community's character. This chart breaks down housing units by structure type and whether they're owner-occupied or rented.

How much new housing supply is needed?

To keep up with growth and fill current housing shortages, Desert Hot Springs, CA needs 1,589 new units over the next 5 years.

707
Units needed to keep up with expected growth
Projected total household growth from 2026 to 2031.
6.1%
Projected household growth rate
Expected increase in total households from 11,583 in 2026 to 12,290 in 2031.
882
Units to address shortages in existing housing stock
Production needs to address vacancy rates and other factors.
43
Replacement housing
Effective annual loss rate is 0.7 per 1,000 units.
66
Ownership vacancy adjustment
Owner-occupied vacancy is 0.4%. This is below the minimum stable target of 1.5%.
255
Rental vacancy adjustment
Rental vacancy is 3.4%. This is below the minimum stable target of 7.4%.
518
Overcrowding adjustment
Overcrowding rate is 8.0%. This is above National avg. of 3.4%.
1,589
Total 5-year housing production need (2026-2031)
318
Annual production pace
Average units needed per year to meet 5-year need
12.7%
Total housing unit growth
Percent increase in housing stock over 5 years
2.5%
Annual housing unit growth
Average percent increase in housing stock per year

How does this place compare to similar communities?