The city of Coachella is in the eastern Coachella Valley, with about 43,000 residents [1]. The festival that shares its name is not held here; it takes place at the Empire Polo Club in neighboring Indio [2].
Housing types and prices
Coachella is a year-round market. Only about 1% of its housing units are held for seasonal use, compared with more than a quarter in Palm Desert, Palm Springs and La Quinta [1]. Homes are mostly detached houses (about 71%), relatively new (median year built 2000), and about 23% of homes are in buildings of two or more units [1].
The Census estimate of median owner-occupied home value for 2020–2024 was about $368,000, among the lowest of the valley cities we cover [1]. Listing prices run higher: in September 2026, ZIP 92236 had a median listing price of about $569,000, but only 33 homes were for sale, with a median 71 days on market [3]. With so few listings, a handful of sales can move that median, so ask us for recent closed sales before you set a price.
Things buyers ask about in Coachella
Newer homes and special assessments. Newer subdivisions in Riverside County may carry special assessments or Mello-Roos taxes on top of the base property tax. Your property tax bill lists them, and the County Assessor explains that each district, not the Assessor, sets them [4]. Ask for the current tax bill of any home you're considering.
Can I rent it out short-term? Coachella has a short-term rental program with a city ordinance, permit and tax registration [5]. Hosts report and pay transient occupancy tax plus a tourism assessment (TBID). Airbnb and VRBO collect the city's occupancy tax but not the TBID [5]. The city's page currently lists the tax rate as both 13% and 14%, so confirm the current rate with the city before you run rental numbers [5].
Utilities. Electricity is Imperial Irrigation District (IID) [6].
Public schools. Coachella is served by Coachella Valley Unified School District (cvusd.us) [7]. School assignment depends on the exact address, so check with the district.
Tom and Janet in Coachella
The Tom and Janet transaction records we reviewed (seven closed 2026 sales) do not include a Coachella sale. They serve the city from their Palm Desert base [8][9]. Janet works with first-time buyers and coordinates with lenders and VA loan specialists [10]. Tom works mainly as a listing agent, handling pricing and contract negotiation; his bio notes more than 35 years as a licensed California attorney [11].
Talk to Tom and Janet: (951) 201-6982 · Tom Callaway, DRE #01915294 · Janet Callaway, DRE #01897623 · LPT Realty, Inc.
Coachella FAQ
Is the Coachella festival held in the city of Coachella? No. It is held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio [2].
Are short-term rentals allowed in Coachella? The city runs a short-term rental permit and tax program; hosts must register, report gross rents and pay the city's occupancy tax and the TBID assessment [5].
Who provides electricity in Coachella? Imperial Irrigation District [6].
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates (tables B01003, B25001, B25004, B25024, B25035, B25077), via Census Reporter: https://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US0614260-coachella-ca/ (retrieved 2026-09-30); comparison figures from the same release for Palm Desert, Palm Springs and La Quinta.
- Empire Polo Club (Indio; home of the Coachella festival): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_Polo_Club
- 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/
- Riverside County Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder, Special Assessments: https://www.rivcoacr.org/SpecialAssessments
- City of Coachella, Short Term Rentals: https://www.coachella.org/departments/economic-development/short-term-rentals
- Riverside LAFCO, IID electricity service study (lists Coachella among cities IID serves): https://www.lafco.org/studies/alternative-governance-structures-and-alternative-electricity-service-provision-imperial-irrigation-district/
- California Department of Education, School Directory, Coachella Valley Unified: https://www.cde.ca.gov/schooldirectory/details?cdscode=33736760000000
- Tom and Janet Callaway's own transaction records (Deals table, 7 closed sales, read 2026-09-30).
- TJ Callaway Realty, About: https://tjcallawayrealty.com/about
- TJ Callaway Realty, About Janet: https://tjcallawayrealty.com/about/janet
- TJ Callaway Realty, About Tom: https://tjcallawayrealty.com/about/tom