Desert Shores, California Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 801, Desert Shores'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 Shores is a small community located in California, within Imperial County. The total population is 801. It ranks as the 1123rd most populous out of 1,570 Census-designated places in California.

Age Demographics

The median age in Desert Shores is 47.4 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 37.9 years. Only 10.6% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 15.0% 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 Shores is $37,212. This is 62% lower than the state median of $99,122. It is also 54% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.5%. This is 54% lower than the state poverty rate of 12.0%. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 41% lower than the state rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $178,600. Housing costs are 76% lower than the state median of $734,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.8x. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 79% higher than the state average of 55.9%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Desert Shores is Hispanic or Latino, making up 70.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 29.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (70.5% vs 40.2%).

Education

2.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 94% 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 62.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Desert Shores, 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.