Apartments for Rent in Palm Desert, CA

Prices and availability in Palm Desert, CA were last updated on 25 Oct 2026.

The best apartments in Palm Desert, CA are: Canterra, Ariana El Paseo, Desert Oasis Apartments, Villas on the Green and Desert Fountains at Palm Desert.

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 $1,856.

The price range for a 1-bedroom apartment in Palm Desert, CA is between $1,625 and $3,199.

The price range for a 2-bedroom apartment in Palm Desert, CA is between $1,799 and $4,999.

The price range for a 3-bedroom apartment in Palm Desert, CA is between $2,495 and $9,995.

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 average age of rental buildings in Palm Desert is 33 years old, with 41% being newer apartment buildings completed since 2000. The average height of apartment buildings in the city is 2 stories, of which all are garden-style apartment communities, none are mid-sized buildings, and none are high-rises. These characteristics describe large-scale apartment communities of 50 apartments or more.

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.