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Living in Cathedral City, CA

Small city in California

Cathedral City is a small city in California, home to about 52,000 people, with 663,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Cathedral City a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.7× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Easy flying: PSP is 2 mi away
  • Dog-friendly: 15 dog parks within 9 mi

👎 Cons

  • Hot summers: highs around 107°F
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.88% property tax

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Cathedral City ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
52,000
663,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
71°F / 107°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$480k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,910/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
106
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.88% property tax
Safety
0.7× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
26%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PSP
2 mi away

Living in Cathedral City: common questions

What is the cost of living in Cathedral City?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $480k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,910 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 106, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Cathedral City?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.88% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Cathedral City safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Cathedral City?

Cathedral City is warm all year: winter days average around 71°F and summer days around 107°F.

Does Cathedral City get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.68 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Cathedral City?

The nearest major airport is PSP, about 2 mi away.

How Cathedral City scores

Each bar compares Cathedral City with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Warm all year Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Tight-knit community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Good
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Below average
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Poor
✈️Airport Good

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Is Cathedral City right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.