Living in Palmdale, CA
Mid-size city in California
Palmdale is a mid-size city in California, home to about 165,000 people, with 1.3 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.
Is Palmdale a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
- Easy flying: BUR is 30 mi away
- Big job market: about 1.3 million people live within 31 mi
- Strong healthcare: 2 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Fewer graduates: 17% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Higher taxes: about $3,279 state income tax per resident, 0.98% property tax
- Hot summers: highs around 96°F
- Few dog parks: 4 within 9 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Palmdale ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Palmdale: common questions
What is the cost of living in Palmdale?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $455k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $3,300 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 114, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Palmdale?
California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.98% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Palmdale safe?
Violent crime is close to the national rate (1.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Palmdale?
Palmdale has mild winters: winter days average around 60°F and summer days around 96°F.
Does Palmdale get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.67 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Palmdale?
The nearest major airport is BUR, about 30 mi away.
How Palmdale scores
Each bar compares Palmdale 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).
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Is Palmdale right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.