Friendly, fun-filled desert city near Palm Springs
About 7 miles east of Palm Springs in the hot, windy Coachella Valley, Cathedral City offers scenic golf courses, open desert spaces and a lively events scene. Nicknamed “Cat City” by locals, Cathedral City was incorporated in 1981 and has since attracted snowbirds and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as hospitality and healthcare workers. “Before it was incorporated, Cathedral City had always been more blue-collar, and in many ways, it still is,” explains Vince D’Angerio, a Cat City local and Real Estate Agent with Town Real Estate. “But things are starting to change. The downtown’s getting a new shopping center, we’re getting new people from everywhere between Los Angeles and Canada, and they’re building a new Amazon distribution facility right by the one we already have.”
Beautiful mountain views are seen from the Cimarron Golf Course in Cathedral City.
Larger employers like Amazon have recently built warehouses in Cathedral City.
The proximity to Eisenhower Medical Center attracts healthcare workers to Cathedral City.
Experience beautiful open desert spaces in Cathedral City.
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Scenic golf courses and rotating tram rides at Mount San Jacinto
Surrounded by nature and filled with golf courses, Cathedral City can feel like a sprawling resort. The 27-hole Desert Princess Country Club is popular for its well-maintained greens and sloping fairways, while the Cimarron Golf Resort’s two 18-hole courses offer easier, shorter games. “What really makes Cimarron great is the panoramic views of the mountains, because they’re completely unobstructed there,” D’Angerio says. The 7-acre Panorama Park is the city's largest park, with tennis and basketball courts, softball fields, a dog park and a central splash pad for kids.
The city’s namesake, Cathedral Canyon, was once filled with rock formations said to resemble holy temples; these were destroyed by a flood in 1946, but today the canyon remains a popular hiking spot. Indian Canyons, about 7 miles away, is home to the world's largest California fan palm oasis, while the Coachella Valley Preserve, 13 miles away, offers over 20,000 acres of pristine desert to explore. "There's just so much hiking here," says D'Angerio. "You can even hike along the San Andreas Fault, which starts around here and goes all the way past San Francisco."
Cathedral City residents can play golf all year round at the Cimarron Golf Resort.
Cathedral Canyon offers great hiking with amazing views of the Cathedral City area.
Enjoy the sunshine with your best friend at Panorama Park in Cathedral City.
Kids flock to the playground at Panorama Park in Cathedral City.
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Comparative affordability in Coachella Valley
“Affordability is really important here,” says Anthony Carrona, an experienced Broker with 4th Dimension Real Estate, who grew up in the Coachella Valley. “Cathedral City is right next to Palm Springs, but sometimes the homes can be literally half the price.” The median home price in Cathedral City is $517,000, compared to Palm Springs' $625,000.
Single-family homes dominate the market here. Most are ranch- or Spanish-style homes from the 1980s to 2000s, set in suburban subdivisions like Panorama or golf-oriented developments like Cimarron Cove; prices range from $275,000 to $800,000. Cathedral City Cove has a mix of new luxury developments and ranch-style homes from the 1930s, when an artist colony first moved into the area; these are often pricier and can range from $550,000 to $1 million.
Experience peaceful living in a ranch-style home amid the nature of Cathedral City.
The community of Cathedral City Cove features a mix of ranch and modern luxury homes.
A Spanish home with shady palm trees is seen in Cathedral City.
Many private communities in Cathedral City have access to resort-style amenities.
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Cathedral City's up-and-coming downtown
The Downtown Arts and Entertainment District might still be a work in progress, but it’s been Cathedral City’s center for shopping and dining since the 1990s. The 111 freeway is lined with a mix of locally owned businesses and regional chains, and many eateries blend American and Mexican cuisines. Entertainment options range from the Museum of Ancient Wonders to the Agua Caliente Casino. Across the street from the casino, a new shopping center is slated for completion in 2025.
Check out the latest entertainment at Agua Caliente Casino located in Cathedral City.
Trilussa offers fine cuisine and wine in Downtown Cathedral City.
Find local and regional chain dining options along the 111 freeway in Cathedral City.
Catch a movie at Mary Pickford D’Place Theater in Cathedral City's up-and-coming downtown.
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Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival and Candy Cane Lane
“Over the past decade, the city's been developing a downtown gathering space we call Festival Lawn, in front of City Hall, where we celebrate culture and diversity,” says Stephen Burchard, Cat City resident and Realtor with BHG Desert Lifestyle Properties. “We have all kinds of events, from the Tejano Festival to Gay Days, and there's a real dynamic focus on bringing people of all walks together." Started in 2015, the Cathedral City International Hot Air Balloon Festival is the community’s showcase event, filling the night sky with glowing balloons and the Festival Lawn with food trucks and market stalls. During the winter holiday season, Minerva Street transforms into what locals call “Candy Cane Lane,” as all the homes are decorated with lights, inflatables and Christmas trees.
High-performing Palm Springs Unified Schools
Cathedral City students are served by the Palm Springs Unified School District, rated an overall B by Niche; in fall 2024, local voters approved Measure S, granting Palm Springs Unified $465 million to renovate and revitalize its schools. In 2022, the Cathedral City High Marching Band won the Southern California Division 4 and 6 championships. Every year, the mayor hosts a ceremony to rename the street adjacent to the high school after high-achieving students.
Cathedral City High band won Southern California Division 4 & 6 championships in 2022.
Nellie N. Coffman Middle teaches Cathedral City students preparedness, respect, and empathy.
Agua Caliente Elementary School in Cathedral City offers students the latest learning tools.
Rancho Mirage Elementary, near Cathedral City, is part of the Palm Springs Unified District.
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Near Palm Springs airport, minimal public transit
Cat City sits right between Interstate 10 and Route 111. I-10 leads roughly 120 miles to downtown Los Angeles, while Route 111 leads 7 miles west to central Palm Springs and the Palm Springs International Airport. "The airport is ridiculously close, literally only 5 minutes away from my house," says D’Angerio. "It's become quite busy and has even started to surpass pre-COVID levels of traffic, so now there's plans to bring more gates." Residents largely rely on cars to get around the area, but the SunLine Transit Agency provides nine public SunBus routes along main roadways. The city also set plans to develop its trail systems to improve walkability throughout the city in its 2023 Cathedral City Active Transportation Plan. Cathedral City is also near several hospitals, many of which are the area's top employers. "The Eisenhower Medical Center has been a big deal for a long time," Carrona says. "Even though it's in Rancho Mirage, a lot of people from Cathedral City work there."
Crime and environmental concerns
According to FBI statistics for 2023, Cathedral City’s rate of property crime was 1 reported incident per each 1,000 residents, compared to the national rate of 18. The city's violent crime rate was less than 1 reported incident per every 1,000 people, compared to the national rate of about 4. The Cathedral City Police Department offers a Current Crime Reports Map that helps residents keep track of recently reported crimes and where they took place.
The San Gorgonio Pass naturally funnels desert breezes and gusty winds through the city, sometimes filling the air with dust and causing air pollution. During the summer months, daily temperatures rarely dip below 100 degrees, and from December to February, Cathedral City experiences a rainy season; although the city rarely receives more than an inch of rainfall per month during this time, it can be prone to flooding due to the desert landscape’s inability to absorb or receive water.
Written By
Fletcher Varnson
Photography Contributed By
Kory Ross
Video By
Kellan Beaver
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
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On average, homes in Cathedral City, CA sell after 72 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Cathedral City, CA over the last 12 months is $515,000, up 1% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome to Escena! A Nicklaus designed 18 hole golf course community. The Clubhouse includes a golf shop, lounge and Grill which has a dog friendly patio. The CV link winds around the community for jogging ,biking and hiking. The home is located close to the clubhouse. Generous in size, this beautiful 2965 sq ft home has 2 bedrooms and 3 baths. High ceilings, an open floorplan and glass doors
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Amid mountains, lakes and palm trees, the Desert Princess community offers a casual resort lifestyle in Riverside County’s Coachella Valley. Desert Princess has a legacy of “well over 40 years,” says Maggie Jackson, Receptionist and Administrative Assistant for the on-site HOA. “Once you come in here, it’s a different world. It’s like a little oasis – a lush landscape with 7,000-plus trees. Even folks who come here temporarily want to buy.”
"There are 1,200-some-odd families here, but they all have some commonalities," says Holly Tait Markas of Holly's Homes, a Broker specializing in Desert Princess since 1999. “They find they love the sense of openness and safety, with caring people and a down to Earth, laid-back feel. Here you feel like you're on vacation all the time,” Markas says. "But while people often come here thinking they're going to retire, they soon find they can fill their days with all sorts of stuff.” The Desert Princess lifestyle centers golf, gorgeous scenery and a casual community close to dining, shopping and culture.
"Folks come here from colder places like Colorado and the Bay Area to seek the sun, hike the trails and play golf all year round,” Markas says. The 27-hole public golf course features wide fairways, several lakes and mountain views. “Some people move here with their friends, but folks here like to gather, so it's easy to just join a golf game or meet up at the fitness center, or for a walk, or at one of the 34 swimming pools." Desert Princess also makes it easy to join a pickup basketball game or to try out pickleball before cooling down at the on-site spa.
Desert Princess Clubhouse's casual Mountain View Grille includes a full bar, weekly game nights and occasional live music. For cooking at home, residents find a Stater Bros. Market and a CVS just north, plus nearby options like Walmart, Grocery Outlet and Costco.
More dining, entertainment and shopping can be found five miles west in Downtown Palm Springs. For a relaxing day out, locals can enjoy a hearty brunch at Wilma & Frieda’s followed by a visit to Palm Springs Art Museum and retail therapy at La Plaza shopping arcade, before ending the day with classic cocktails at Oscar’s.
Framed by the San Jacinto Mountains and centered around the Desert Princess Country Club, the guard-gated Desert Princess community includes hundreds of condos, villas and a homeowners association. Elegant fountains and desert landscaping line the neighborhood’s sidewalks and wide streets. The one- to three-bedroom adobe-and Hacienda-style homes designed by iconic Southern California architect Gin Wong (whose work includes the spaceship-like LAX Theme Building) date from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s. Some homes, like those in the Arroyos cluster, are situated off-fairway from the club’s 27-hole, PGA Championship golf course. Home prices range from about $280,000 to $890,000. Condos range from about $218,000 to $425,000.
Beyond the golf carts, Desert Princess is a car-dependent community. It benefits from proximity to Interstate 10, which stretches from L.A. to Phoenix and beyond. Desert Regional Medical Center and Palm Springs International Airport are about 5 miles west. There are also bus stops along Vista Chino, the road that borders the neighborhood’s northern edge.
The Desert Princess community lies within the Palm Springs Unified School District, whose 28 schools are generally rated average by GreatSchools for students’ test scores and academic progress. Rio Vista Elementary, rated B-plus on Niche, emphasizes social-emotional learning, while James Workman Middle School, rated B, was named a 2023 California School to Watch. Cathedral City High School, rated B-plus, is a California Gold Ribbon School with HEAL (healthcare and environmental health) and International Baccalaureate programs.
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