Palm Springs living? Pros and Cons? (Los Angeles, Riverside: apartments, insurance, crime)

[K_Chris]

Just found out my job flies out to the Palm Springs Airport and that means I could potentially transfer there, which means a secured job before moving and that's better than nothing.

Though I know little about the place, so what are some pros and cons of living there? Not 'I personally hate it and wouldn't advise it' cons, like traffic, rent, gas prices, and crime, for example.

The places I can afford/will move to are all around $850-$950, if the apartments site is accurate, and that's just cause they're cat friendly. So if that's relevant information, there's that.

[YoungTraveler2011]

Palm Springs is nice ... but too damn hot.

You're gonna be living in a hot and arid furnace for several months out of the year. I noticed the temperatures are worse than Phoenix, AZ over there.

It has a lively downtown and whenever there's events, it gets crowded.

[nightlysparrow]

Many complexes have their own gym. It is low altitude, at the base of a mountain (Mt. San Jacinto) that gets lots of snow, so even on a warm day in PS, you can just drive up to it (see Idyllwild) for the winter sports. There is also an amazing Swiss aerial tram that takes you up the mountain. Plenty of nightlife, top cultural opportunities like film festivals, midcentury architecture tours, a good art museum and many excellent and ethnically diverse restaurants. Yes, it's brutally hot in summer during the daytime but there is swimming (every place has a pool). But the sun goes down early behind the mountain, and the summer nights are warm and dry and great for walks, biking, swimming, outdoor dining under the stars. Neighborhoods are quiet but you can go to the main streets like Palm Canyon Blvd. which are bustling with people. Tourists are limited to a few months in winter. Crime is mostly in North Palm Springs. Big gay/lesbian presence. Traffic is mostly on the 111 (Palm Canyon, the main drag). Gas prices are no more than anywhere else in CA. Some people add windshield insurance to their policies due to occasional blowing sand which pits the glass. On the San Andreas Fault line, of course. A big Indian casino and a large luxury outlet mall are just outside of town. Close enough to Los Angeles by a few hours if necessary.

[GSR13]

Originally Posted by YoungTraveler2011

Palm Springs is nice ... but too damn hot.

You're gonna be living in a hot and arid furnace for several months out of the year. I noticed the temperatures are worse than Phoenix, AZ over there.

It has a lively downtown and whenever there's events, it gets crowded.

If he's in Palm Springs the mountains will block the afternoon sun and will be cooler than Phoenix in the evening. You pretty much have to be close to the 111 to take advantage of this though

[NW4me]

Originally Posted by K_Chris

Just found out my job flies out to the Palm Springs Airport and that means I could potentially transfer there, which means a secured job before moving and that's better than nothing.

Though I know little about the place, so what are some pros and cons of living there? Not 'I personally hate it and wouldn't advise it' cons, like traffic, rent, gas prices, and crime, for example.

The places I can afford/will move to are all around $850-$950, if the apartments site is accurate, and that's just cause they're cat friendly. So if that's relevant information, there's that.

I have friends who live there... but I can't imagine living in a place where the temperatures regularly reach the hundred-and-teens.

[K_Chris]

Okay just so yall know, I love hot weather. I didn't move to mn willingly for the cold weather...

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by K_Chris

Okay just so yall know, I love hot weather. I didn't move to mn willingly for the cold weather...

Ok. Be realistic dude. There is hot and then there is desert Palm Springs hot. Temps on average are in the 110* in summertime. I have friends who live there and had a family member who lived out in Indio. In summer by 8 am you're cooking. By noon you can't be outside.
I dont think you really understand how hot it gets.

Rents are cheaper than OC or LA. Lots of immigrant population, rich and old people. But you can golf. If you want to go anywhere other than Palm Springs you are driving. Sometimes considerable distances. It's about 120 miles to OC. And eventually you're going to realize you're stuck in Palm Springs.

[Finper]

I love Palm Springs but I love the desert so makes sense. There is a very big gay population there don't know how you feel about that.... The cost of living is pretty good for Ca but it is isolated so you have to be careful you don't get sucked into a bad element of people if your young and get bored easily. Try it out for a year maybe you'll love the desert life

[RosieSD]

If you're looking for something completely different than Minneapolis, then Palm Springs would probably be it.

Does your job involve working outside? That's a definite factor to consider when talking about working in a place where the temperatures top 100 degrees for several months a year. It's not just the heat, it's also the relentless sun.

While you may be able to find an apartment for $850 a month, you'll probably pay another $250+ a month for AC several months out of the year. So make sure to factor that extra cost into your budget.

On the plus side, I personally love spending time out in the desert -- there are some amazing outdoor places to explore within a short drive from downtown Palm Springs. And, you can take weekend trips to LA if you want a taste of big city life every now and then.

Since it sounds like you work for an airline, why not hop a plane and visit to see if it's for you?

[RosieSD]

Also, Palm Springs is in eastern Riverside County. Instead of the general California forum,
you may want to post your question in the San Bernardino and Riverside County sub-forum, where you'll get more answers from locals who actually live in the desert

Here's the link to that forum:

//www.city-data.com/forum/san-b...side-counties/

You can also use the advanced search function above to search that forum's archives for discussions about living in Palm Springs.