The typical owner-occupied home in Desert Hot Springs is worth about $354,800, 52% below the California median of $734,700 and 7% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,507 a year in property taxes, about 0.99% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $52,761 a year, so the median home costs 6.7 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 51% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 66% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Desert Hot Springs at a glance
| Desert Hot Springs | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $354,800 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,507 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.99% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $52,761 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 51% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 66% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,857 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 32.9% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,412 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 37.3% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1990 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 8.8% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 33,200 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Desert Hot Springs
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Desert Hot Springs home of $354,800 with 20% down costs about $2,350 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,941, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $100,712 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 53% of the median Desert Hot Springs household income of $52,761; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $186,000.
The median rent here is $1,412 a month, so owning the median home costs about $938 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $70,960 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $283,840 |
| Principal and interest | $1,909 |
| Property taxes (0.99% a year) | $293 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $148 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,350 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $12,418 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $348,374 |
| Principal and interest | $2,344 |
| Property taxes (0.99% a year) | $293 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $148 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $157 |
| Total per month | $2,941 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Desert Hot Springs
What is the median home value in Desert Hot Springs?
About $354,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Desert Hot Springs?
Homeowners pay a median $3,507 a year, which is about 0.99% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Desert Hot Springs?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,350 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $100,712 a year.
More about Desert Hot Springs
- Mortgage Refinance in Desert Hot Springs
- Debt Relief in Desert Hot Springs
- Home Equity Loans in Desert Hot Springs
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data