On this page
- The nine Coachella Valley cities at a glance
- Palm Springs: the walkable original
- Desert Hot Springs: higher ground across the I-10
- Cathedral City: the mixed middle
- Rancho Mirage: quiet, gated and mostly owned
- Palm Desert: the valley's shopping and college town
- Indian Wells: small and seasonal
- La Quinta: houses, mountains and golf
- Indio: the largest city, and our home
- Coachella: the farming city to the east
- The communities between the cities
- What to know before you move anywhere in the valley
- Questions people ask about the Coachella Valley cities
The nine Coachella Valley cities at a glance
From west to east, the nine cities are Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella.
The census shows how different they are. The table uses the Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020 to 2024. "Seasonal homes" is the share of all homes kept for part-time use: a good measure of how empty a town gets in summer.
| City | Drive from Palm Springs | Median age | Seasonal homes | Homes you see most |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Springs | — | 59 | 27% | Condos and apartments, mid-century houses |
| Desert Hot Springs | about 12 miles | 35 | 5% | Single-family houses, many rented |
| Cathedral City | about 7 miles | 41 | 13% | Houses, condos, manufactured homes |
| Rancho Mirage | about 9 miles | 66 | 35% | Country-club houses and townhomes |
| Palm Desert | about 13 miles | 58 | 27% | Condos and townhomes, houses |
| Indian Wells | about 17 miles | 68 | 44% | Gated golf-community homes |
| La Quinta | about 23 miles | 53 | 28% | Detached houses, many gated |
| Indio | about 23 miles | 39 | 11% | Detached houses, newer subdivisions |
| Coachella | about 28 miles | 33 | 1% | Detached family houses |
Read it as a gradient. The resort cities in the middle of the valley are older and more part-time. The cities at the north and east ends are younger, with more full-time households and families.
Palm Springs: the walkable original
Palm Springs has the busiest downtown in the valley, along Palm Canyon Drive, plus the Aerial Tramway and the region's main airport. Its median age is about 59, and more than a quarter of its homes are seasonal.
About two homes in five are in multi-unit buildings, the highest share in the valley, so condo and apartment moves are common alongside the mid-century houses. One thing newcomers don't expect: the Agua Caliente reservation was laid out in alternating square-mile sections, and about 6,700 acres of it lie inside the city. Many homes and condos sit on leased land, so if you are buying, ask whether the lot is fee land or lease land.
For neighborhoods, wind and road closures, see our Palm Springs movers page, and our tips on how to move to Palm Springs.
Desert Hot Springs: higher ground across the I-10
Desert Hot Springs sits on the slope north of Interstate 10, at roughly 1,000 feet. It is built over two aquifers split by a fault: the hot one feeds its spa hotels, and the cold one is the town's drinking water, supplied by Mission Springs Water District.
It is one of the youngest cities in the valley, with a median age of about 35 and only 5% seasonal homes. About half of homes are owner-occupied, the lowest share of the nine, so rentals are a big part of the market. Expect wind: this side of the valley sits close to the San Gorgonio Pass.
Highway 62 leaves the I-10 just west of town and climbs to the high desert. If you are weighing the valley against the hills, see our pages on Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree.
Cathedral City: the mixed middle
Cathedral City sits between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, with Date Palm Drive running from the I-10 down to Highway 111. It has some of the widest mix of housing in the valley: single-family streets, condo complexes, gated golf communities and a large number of manufactured homes, about one home in nine.
With a median age near 41 and only about 13% seasonal homes, it is more of a year-round town than its neighbors on either side. Our Cathedral City movers page covers the Cove, Desert Princess and the city's parking rules.
Rancho Mirage: quiet, gated and mostly owned
Rancho Mirage has about 18,000 residents. It became a city in 1973 and is known for its country clubs, for Sunnylands, the Annenberg estate where presidents stayed, and for the Eisenhower Health hospital campus on Bob Hope Drive.
It has the highest share of owner-occupied homes in the valley, about 82%, a median age of about 66, and more than a third of its homes are seasonal. Much of the town lives in guard-gated clubs, so moves run on association rules. Our Rancho Mirage movers page walks through them.
Palm Desert: the valley's shopping and college town
Palm Desert is the commercial middle of the valley. El Paseo is its shopping street, The Living Desert zoo and gardens sits at its southern edge, and College of the Desert and Cal State San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus are both here. Highway 74 climbs from the south end of town into the Santa Rosa Mountains.
It has the highest share of attached, townhouse-style homes in the valley, about 31%, much of it in country-club condo communities. Its median age is about 58 and roughly a quarter of homes are seasonal. One detail that confuses people: Sun City Palm Desert, the large 55+ community north of the I-10, is outside the city limits, in unincorporated county. See our Palm Desert movers page for its HOAs and gates.
Indian Wells: small and seasonal
Indian Wells is the smallest city in the valley, with under 5,000 residents, wedged between Palm Desert and La Quinta. It is also the oldest by median age, about 68, and the most seasonal: about 44% of its homes are kept for part-time use. Most of the city is golf communities, and each March the Indian Wells Tennis Garden hosts a major professional tournament.
Indian Wells has no town page of its own; it is covered on our Coachella Valley movers page with the other communities we serve.
La Quinta: houses, mountains and golf
La Quinta runs south from Highway 111 toward the Santa Rosa Mountains, and the mountains are close enough to shape the town, with hiking trails starting at the edge of the Cove. About three-quarters of its homes are detached houses, the highest share in the valley.
Its median age, about 53, sits between the resort cities and the east valley. Around 28% of homes are seasonal, many in gated golf communities such as PGA West. The details of its gates, events and neighborhoods are on our La Quinta movers page.
Indio: the largest city, and our home
Indio was the first city in the valley to incorporate, in 1930, and it is now the largest, with about 92,000 residents. It is known for its festivals at the polo grounds, but most of the city is ordinary family neighborhoods: older streets near downtown and newer subdivisions to the north and east.
The median age is about 39, two-thirds of homes are detached houses and only about 11% are seasonal, so Indio is a year-round town with schools, shopping and county offices. Our crews and warehouse are here; see our Indio movers page.
Coachella: the farming city to the east
The city of Coachella, incorporated in 1946, is Indio's neighbor to the east and the youngest city in the valley, with a median age of about 33. Barely 1% of its homes are seasonal, the lowest of the nine. Most homes are detached family houses, and date groves and farm fields start at the edge of town. Despite the name, the music festival is held in Indio. Coachella has no town page; it is on our areas we serve page.
The communities between the cities
Thousand Palms, Bermuda Dunes, Sky Valley, Thermal, Mecca and Oasis are unincorporated. Riverside County, not a city, handles their roads and permits, and some properties out east are rural parcels with long private drives. Sun City Palm Desert belongs in this group too, despite its Palm Desert address. Each is covered on our areas we serve page.
What to know before you move anywhere in the valley
- Summer heat. From June through September, average afternoon highs are above 100°F across the valley floor. Book a morning start, and book it early.
- The season. In the resort cities, a quarter to nearly half of homes are seasonal, so the valley fills up from late fall to spring. Closings, HOA move windows and moving dates cluster in those months.
- Gates and HOAs. When you call us for an estimate, one of the first questions is whether the home is in a gated community. Ask your association for its move rules in writing. Some need approval days ahead, and their offices may be closed on weekends and holidays.
- Utilities change at city lines. Indio, Coachella and La Quinta, plus parts of Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage, get power from the Imperial Irrigation District; most of the west valley is on Southern California Edison. Water comes from different agencies too, so check which one serves the new address.
- Distance. Palm Springs to Coachella is about 28 miles, around 40 minutes on the I-10. A move between any two valley cities is a local move. Here is how much movers cost in the Coachella Valley.
Desert Moving is a family-owned company, in business since 1987, with our crews and warehouse in Indio. Every move starts with a walkthrough or video survey and the written estimate California requires, and if the new place isn't ready, your things can wait in sealed wooden vaults in our building. See storage.
Questions people ask about the Coachella Valley cities
What are the cities in the Coachella Valley?
There are nine: Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella. Unincorporated communities such as Thousand Palms, Bermuda Dunes, Thermal and Mecca are part of the valley too, governed by Riverside County.
Is Palm Desert a good place to live?
For many people, yes, especially those who want shops, services, golf and the valley's colleges close to home. It sits in the middle of the valley, has more condos and townhomes than most cities here, and about a quarter of homes are seasonal. The trade-offs are the summer heat and the quiet months when many part-time owners are away.
Is Indio a good place to live?
Indio suits people who want a year-round neighborhood. It is the largest city in the valley, with a median age of about 39, mostly detached houses and only about one home in nine kept as a second home. Festival weekends in April bring heavy traffic, and summers are as hot as anywhere on the valley floor.
Is La Quinta a good place to live?
La Quinta is a good fit if you want a house rather than a condo, mountain views and a quieter pace. About three-quarters of its homes are detached houses, many in gated golf communities with their own HOA rules. More than a quarter of homes are seasonal, so it is busiest from late fall to spring.
How far apart are the Coachella Valley cities?
Not far. Palm Springs to Indio is about 23 miles and Palm Springs to Coachella about 28, roughly 35 to 40 minutes on the I-10 outside rush hour. Neighboring cities such as Cathedral City and Rancho Mirage are only a few miles apart.
