Palm Desert : California

Palm Desert, a beautiful vacation destination and a popular retirement town, is located in California's Coachella Valley, approximately 14 miles east of Palm Springs. The population was a little over 50,000 in 2013, but that number swells by over 30,000 during the winter months with the arrival of snowbirds, bringing the average age here to 51. Palm Desert is surrounded by three mountains which contribute to its warm year-round temperature and sunny skies. It is a popular spot for golfers as well as retirees, with over 30 top-notch golf courses and resorts, and several retirement communities. College of the Desert, a community college, is located here, and a few celebrities are said to have homes here also.

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Zillow.com reports Palm Desert to be a "Hot" market with the median home value at $409,462 in early 2021. There are many condos and townhouse developments, Sun City Palm Desert, a community of close to 5,000 homes for 55+ is located here along with several other communities.  See link on upper left.

Palm Desert offers a lot of outdoor recreation with many golf courses, hiking and biking trails, parks and an aquatic center.  It also has a performing arts center, shops, restaurants, art galleries, and sunny skies almost everyday.

High cost of living, and summers are very hot, with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees.

Palm Desert is a nice town for snowbirds who like to golf and enjoy all types of outdoor activity. There is a transit system and an international airport in nearby Palm Springs.  The Joslyn Center is a very active senior center that offers activites, lifelong learning, and social and health programs.  There are several 55+ active adult communities here.

Retail and Tourism drive the economy. JW Marriott Desert Springs Golf Resort is the largest employer.

Palm Desert boasts over 350 days of sunshine each year with average January temperature at 58 degrees and July's average is 96 degrees. Summer temperatures can easily go over 100 degrees.

Palm Desert boasts upscale shopping on El Paseo Drive, a mile long strip of over 250 shops, dining and the arts. Palm Desert also is home to the McCallum Theatre, a state-of-the-art performing arts center, an art museum, several parks, an aquatic center, amphitheater, and The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.