Desert Shores, CA, 6-29-2008, 2008
Desert Shores’s story
Desert Shores in pictures
Census counts: 792 in 2000, 1,128 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 2 maps from 1956 on.
Explore the history →
Desert ShoresCA
A town of 801.
Photo: Squelle · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
801
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$179K
Census ACS
Household income
$37K
median
Median age
47.4
years
Jobs based here
68
A commuter town
Is Desert Shores a good place to live?
Desert Shores’ July high is 108°F, against 89°F in California’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. No town among the 848 in California we compare has a higher share of households owning their home than Desert Shores. Desert Shores has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
801 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Desert Shores: who provides what
Desert Shores is unincorporated, so Imperial County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerImperial Irrigation District18.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesImperial CountyImperial County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereImperial County Registrar of VotersImperial County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code9227492274 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Desert Shores.
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Desert Shores, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 85% of U.S. communities.
85risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Fewer of Desert Shores’ working residents work locally than in the typical California or U.S. town
0.7% of Desert Shores working residents work locally, below both California’s towns (6.6%) and U.S. towns (8%). Jobs based in Desert Shores fell to 68 in 2023, 439 fewer than in 2013. 5.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Desert Shores.
1%work in town
| Desert Shores | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Desert Shores1%
Salton City9%
San Diego7%
Los Angeles6%
Oasis5%
66 mi
median commute distance
68
jobs based in Desert Shores
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Desert Shores
Desert Shores has warm winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. The January low in Desert Shores is 44°F.
108°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter44–72°
Spring59–88°
Summer77–106°
Fall61–91°
+2.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
108°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Desert Shores stands out in California and nationally: a larger share of its adults sleep under 7 hours
42% of Desert Shores adults sleep under 7 hours. Desert Shores beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17. 37% of Desert Shores adults get no exercise outside work.
| Desert Shores | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 22% | 19% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 16% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 68% | 72% | 79% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 9% | 8.1% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Desert Shores | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.9% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 24.7% | 10.6% |
John F Kennedy Memorial Hospital
23.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 24 attractions →Salton Sea and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Desert Shores. Close and well known come first.
Big draw12 mi LakeSalton Sea
Big draw20 mi National ParkJoshua Tree National Park2.9M visitors a year
16 mi LakeLake Cahuilla
28 mi MountainNiland Geyser
31 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Arena
23 mi State parkAnza-Borrego Desert State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Salton Sea: NASA, Public domain · Joshua Tree National Park: Sergiy Galyonkin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Cahuilla: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Niland Geyser: California Department of Transportation, Public domain · Acrisure Arena: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: No machine-readable author provided. Miskatonic assumed (based on copyright clai, CC BY 2.5
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Desert Shores
15pages on Desert Shores
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Desert Shores; the nearest are
College of the DesertCommunity college · Public · Palm Desert30.3 mi$1,326 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-San MarcosUniversity or college · Public · San Marcos67.4 mi$8,082 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Desert Shores residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Desert Shores for work
Where Desert Shores’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
68jobs based in Desert Shores
1%of working residents work in town
66 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Desert Shores
Place in California, United States
Desert Shores (formerly Fish Springs) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Imperial County, California, US. It is part of the El Centro Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Desert Shores had a population of 1,128.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- -197 ft
Questions about Desert Shores
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Desert Shores, CA a good place to live?
Desert Shores has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.