Rancho Mirage and La Quinta receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Rancho Mirage | La Quinta | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,563 | 38,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $107,364 | $99,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $86,840 | $64,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 694/sq mi | 1,097/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $807,200 | $661,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,510 | $1,785 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.0% | 75.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.6% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 56 | 107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.3% | 62.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 109°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 4.6" | 3.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 27.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 66.1 | 53.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.83 | 23.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 92.5% | 79.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Rancho Mirage
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
La Quinta
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Rancho Mirage, CA · La Quinta, CA · How this is calculated: methodology