Cathedral City Real Estate

Cathedral City sits between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage and has about 52,000 residents [1]. For buyers, it's often the lower-priced option in that stretch of the valley. Its median home value is below Palm Springs' and well below Rancho Mirage's (Census, 2020–2024) [1].

Housing types and prices

Cathedral City's housing is a mix: about 56% detached single-family homes, 22% in buildings of two or more units, and about 11% mobile homes, one of the higher mobile-home shares in the valley [1]. Fewer homes are seasonal than in its neighbors (about 13% of units) [1].

Price context, September 2026 [2]: ZIP 92234 had a median listing price of about $500,000, with 169 homes for sale and a median 57 days on market. The Census estimate of median owner-occupied home value for 2020–2024 was about $453,000, compared with $604,000 in Palm Springs and $807,000 in Rancho Mirage [1].

Things buyers ask about in Cathedral City

Can I rent it out short-term? In most of the city, no. Cathedral City phased out short-term vacation rentals under Ordinance 842 (2020), which voters upheld with Measure B. Since January 1, 2023, short-term rentals have been prohibited except for home-sharing (the owner lives on site) and qualifying homes in HOA communities whose rules allow them [3][4]. In 2022 the city also stopped issuing new permits in HOA communities in its R1 and R2 zones [5]. HOA owners must provide a letter from their board saying the CC&Rs allow rentals [3]. Permits don't transfer on sale; a change in ownership must be reported within 14 days [6].

Is the land included? Not always. Part of Cathedral City lies within the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians' checkerboard reservation, and some homes there sit on leased land [7][8]. The preliminary title report will show whether you're buying the land or leasing it.

Mobile homes. With about one in ten homes a mobile home [1], ask whether you're buying the land or renting a space in a park. That changes financing, monthly costs and resale.

Utilities. Electricity is Southern California Edison. Water comes from Desert Water Agency in parts of the city and Coachella Valley Water District in the rest [9].

Public schools. Cathedral City is served by Palm Springs Unified School District (psusd.us) [10]. School assignment depends on the exact address, so check with the district.

Tom and Janet in Cathedral City

The Tom and Janet transaction records we reviewed (seven closed 2026 sales) do not include a Cathedral City sale. They serve the city from their Palm Desert base [11][12]. Janet works with buyers, including first-time buyers, and coordinates with lenders and VA loan specialists [13].

Talk to Tom and Janet: (951) 201-6982 · Tom Callaway, DRE #01915294 · Janet Callaway, DRE #01897623 · LPT Realty, Inc.

Cathedral City FAQ

Are vacation rentals allowed in Cathedral City? Only owner-present home-shares and qualifying HOA homes whose rules allow them. Since 2022 the city has also stopped new permits in HOA communities in the R1 and R2 zones. All other short-term rentals have been prohibited since January 1, 2023 [3][4][5].

What does a home cost in Cathedral City? In September 2026 the median listing price in ZIP 92234 was about $500,000 [2].

Does a vacation-rental permit transfer when I buy a home? No. Permits are non-transferable, and a change in ownership must be reported within 14 days [6].

Sources

1. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B01003, B25001, B25004, B25024, B25077), via Census Reporter: https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0612048-cathedral-city-ca/ (retrieved 2026-09-30); comparison figures from the same release for Palm Springs (16000US0655254) and Rancho Mirage (16000US0659500).
2. Realtor.com® Economic Research, ZIP-level Inventory Core Metrics, month 2026-09 (file RDC_Inventory_Core_Metrics_Zip.csv, posted 2026-09-30). Data courtesy of Realtor.com: https://www.realtor.com/research/data/
3. Cathedral City Municipal Code Ch. 5.96 as adopted by Ordinance 842 (city-published text): https://www.cathedralcity.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/10337/637546777043470000
4. City of Cathedral City, Measure B impartial analysis: https://www.cathedralcity.gov/home/showpublisheddocument?id=10025
5. The Desert Sun, "Cathedral City refines ordinance on short-term vacation rentals" (Mar. 24, 2022) (news): https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/cathedral-city/2022/03/24/cathedral-city-reforms-ordinance-better-regulate-short-term-vacation-rentals/9458482002/
6. City of Cathedral City, Managing Your Short-Term Vacation Rental: https://www.cathedralcity.gov/residents/short-term-vacation-rentals/managing-your-short-term-vacation-rental
7. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs decision letter on Agua Caliente land in Cathedral City (Oct. 7, 2019), pp. 1–2: https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/media_document/2019.10.07_signed_decision_letter_agua_caliente_cathedral_city.pdf
8. KESQ News, "Pay to Stay" (Jan. 19, 2023) (news): https://kesq.com/news/in-depth/2023/01/19/pay-to-stay-the-impact-the-end-of-tribal-land-leases-could-have-on-local-communities/
9. Desert Water Agency, Who We Are: https://www.dwa.org/who-we-are ; Coachella Valley Water District, About CVWD: https://www.cvwd.org/288/About-CVWD
10. Palm Springs Unified School District, Schools: https://www.psusd.us/schools
11. Tom and Janet Callaway's own transaction records (Deals table, 7 closed sales, read 2026-09-30).
12. TJ Callaway Realty, About: https://tjcallawayrealty.com/about
13. TJ Callaway Realty, About Janet: https://tjcallawayrealty.com/about/janet