Rents are 15% below what Palm Springs's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,067 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
July. Asking rents in Palm Springs usually run 0.6% below trend in July and 0.5% above it in January, about $23 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Palm Springs is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Palm Springs changed +2.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 336 California cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.4%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Palm Springs rose 61.1% while median household income rose 36.8% ($53,441 to $73,119). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Palm Springs is 62.1% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($73,119) is $1,828 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($1,785); a 1-bedroom is $1,860.
Hemet, 26 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,839/mo), about $2,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Palm Springs. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Palm Springs, CA is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, 44.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Palm Springs, CA has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Palm Springs, CA has increased from $1,503 to $2,067, a 37.5% change over five years. Household income in the area moved from $61,597 to $73,119 across the same window, up 18.7% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 34.1% of households, compared with 36.7% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Palm Springs, CA look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Palm Springs on your salary?
At $2,067/mo, how Palm Springs rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Palm Springs rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Palm Springs. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Palm Springs
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Palm Springs is $2,067/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,785/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,315/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,860/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $3,090/mo.
At 34% of local median household income ($73,119/yr), Palm Springs ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Palm Springs?
At $2,067/mo, rent takes ~34% of Palm Springs's median household income ($73,119/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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