What income do you need to buy a house in Palm Desert, CA?
It takes about $139,000/yr to afford the typical Palm Desert, CA home ($546K, -2.3% past year) at today's rates. Starter homes run around $403K. See if you can afford a house in Palm Desert (2026 data) — free, no signup.
Market snapshot (2026-06)
- Income needed to buy the typical home: about $139,000/yr (28% front-end ratio, 20% down, 6.66% 30-yr fixed, CA property tax and insurance)
- Typical home value: $546K (Zillow ZHVI, 2026-06)
- 1-year change: -2.3%
- Bottom 35% of homes: $403K
- Top 35% of homes start around: $874K
- Typical rent: $2,638/mo
- Median household income: $78K
- Price-to-income ratio: 7.0
- Estimated payment on the typical home: $2,807/mo principal & interest (20% down, 6.66% 30-yr fixed)
Nearby housing markets
The most affordable cities to buy a house in California
Home values are Zillow Group public data (ZHVI, updated monthly); income and population are US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates. Estimates only — not financial advice.
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