Apartments for Rent in Palm Desert, CA

Prices and availability in Palm Desert, CA were last updated on 13 Sep 2026.

The best apartments in Palm Desert, CA are: Canterra, Desert Oasis Apartments, Desert Fountains at Palm Desert, Villas on the Green and 45421 Sunset Lane.

The average rent in Palm Desert, CA is $2,196.

The price range for a studio apartment in Palm Desert, CA is between $1,583 and $1,796.

The price range for a 1-bedroom apartment in Palm Desert, CA is between $1,625 and $4,099.

The price range for a 2-bedroom apartment in Palm Desert, CA is between $1,799 and $9,000.

The price range for a 3-bedroom apartment in Palm Desert, CA is between $2,133 and $7,850.

In Palm Desert, 35% of the residents are renting compared to 65% owning a home, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Large-scale apartment buildings with more than 50 units represent 17% of Palm Desert's rentals, 62% are small-scale complexes with under 50 units, and 16% are single-family rentals.

The age and size of multifamily buildings are among the most visible characteristics of the rental market in a city. In this case, the apartment buildings in Palm Desert are about 33 years old, on average. Of these, 41% have been built since 2000, representing the newer options on the market and typically offering more amenities. Rental buildings in the city have an average height of 2 stories. About all of the rental communities here are low-rise, garden-style communities, none are mid-rises, and none are high-rise buildings. These are true especially for large-scale multifamily buildings with over 50 apartments.

Rental apartments in Palm Desert come in a range of sizes and floorplans. Studio apartments represent 6% of units for rent, ideal for singles, renters on a budget and people who value central locations more than space. Rentals with 1-bedroom floorplans make up 49% of the total apartments in the city, while 2-bedroom floorplans represent around 39% of all rentals in Palm Desert. The rest are larger floorplans with 3 bedrooms or more, typically preferred by families, larger households or roommates sharing space.