The Town FilesDesert Edge, California
Community in Riverside County · population 4,180 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $76,300
- Household income
- $37,429
- Jan low / Jul high
- 48° / 109°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 63.7
Desert Edge is a community of 4,180 people in Riverside County, California. The median home is worth $76,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of California towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of California towns, easier by car than 83% of California towns.
- #2 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in California
- #2 in 25 Small Towns in California With the Cheapest Homes
- #2 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in California
- #3 in The 10 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in California With Mild Winters
- #5 in The 24 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in California
- #9 in 25 Small Towns in California With the Cheapest Rent
How Desert Edge ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Desert Edge is worth $76,300, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $37,429, which is more affordable than 100% of California towns. Median rent is $903 a month. 89.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Desert Edge | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $76,300 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $903 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $37,429 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 33.5% | — |
Who lives in Desert Edge
| People | Desert Edge | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.7 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 46.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 12.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.8% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.3% | — |
| Work from home | 33.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 93.3% |
Weather in Desert Edge
July highs average 108.6°F and January lows 47.6°F. About 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 177 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 0 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Desert Edge since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on September 5, 1991.
Severe weather in Riverside County since 1996
Riverside County has been included in 66 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2026 | Fire | FM-5636: Bain Fire |
| September 11, 2024 | Fire | FM-5538: Airport Fire |
| July 21, 2024 | Fire | FM-5515: Hawarden Fire |
| November 21, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4750: Tropical Storm Hilary |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Riverside County
Riverside County had 840,433 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,734 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Desert Edge itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Towns near Desert Edge
- Garnet, CA2.3 mi · 7,118 people · home $267,900
- Cathedral City, CA6.1 mi · 51,493 people · home $453,100
- Desert Hot Springs, CA6.3 mi · 32,512 people · home $354,800
- Thousand Palms, CA8.9 mi · 7,967 people · home $268,700
- Palm Springs, CA10.0 mi · 44,575 people · home $604,000
- Rancho Mirage, CA11.0 mi · 16,999 people · home $807,200
- Morongo Valley, CA12.5 mi · 3,514 people · home $285,400
- Desert Palms, CA12.8 mi · 6,686 people · home $567,400
Desert Edge questions
Is Desert Edge, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Desert Edge scores better for retirees than 57% of California towns and quieter than 82%. 46.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 63.7).
How much does a house cost in Desert Edge?
The median owner-occupied home in Desert Edge is valued at $76,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,429, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $903 a month.
What is the weather like in Desert Edge?
July highs average 108.6°F and January lows 47.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 4.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Desert Edge get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Desert Edge in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)