Desert Center, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 144, Desert Center's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Desert Center is a small community located in California, within Riverside County. The total population is 144. It ranks as the 1420th most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Desert Center is 45.5 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 11.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 13.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Desert Center is $73,393. This is 26% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 9% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 31.9%. This is 166% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 13.6%. This is 105% higher than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $216,100. Housing costs are 71% lower than the state median of $734,700. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Desert Center is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 54.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

Desert Center is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 38.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (9.0% vs 5.2%). The Asian population (2.8%) is well below the state average of 15.3%.

Education

18.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 37.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Desert Center, California is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against California state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,570 Census-designated places in California. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.