Palm Springs Apartments and Rentals

The desert city of Palm Springs in southern California is often associated with the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, although the event technically takes place in Indio, which is approximately a half-hour drive away. One of the city's former mayors, Sonny Bono of singing duo Sonny and Cher, also helped to raise its profile. That said, Bono was by no means the only famous resident, as the Palm Springs Walk of Stars - the city's take on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - will attest.

For those interested in Palm Springs apartments for rent, there's more to the city than nearby festivals and famous faces. The perennially sunny municipality offers a bevy of outdoor activities, many of which can be enjoyed within the Mount San Jacinto State Park, named after Southern California's second highest mountain range. Arts and culture are also strong in Palm Springs, as evidenced by a sculpture of Marilyn Monroe located in the downtown area that was relocated from Chicago in 2012.

Modern-day Palm Springs, along with the rest of the Coachella Valley, was inhabited by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians for thousands of years before the Southern Pacific Railroad was built and settlers came to town in the late 1800s. The name "Palm Springs" was first coined in 1854 by members of the U.S. Army Corps of Topographical Engineers, in reference to the area's numerous palm trees and desert springs, although it was referred to as Agua Caliente or Palm Valley until 1890.

Palm Springs was formally incorporated in 1938, although Hollywood found out about it years earlier. It became known as both a prime location for shooting silent films and a resort where celebrities came to live or vacation, earning it the nickname "Playground of the Stars." According to U.S. Census Bureau data, approximately 44,500 people inhabit the city's 29 neighborhoods year-round, although it also houses many second homes and its population expands significantly during the winter months. These days, you're less likely to run into a celebrity on the streets of Palm Springs than you would have been in the first half of the last century. However, tourism remains a major industry for the city, with many vacationers attracted to an area that enjoys an average of 350 days of sunshine per year.

More than 24,000 people are employed by Palm Springs' approximately 1,700 firms, with retail trade, health services, business services and distribution comprising the city's leading employment sectors. Its top employers include Desert Regional Medical Center and the Spa Resort Casino.

The area is served by the Palm Springs Unified School District, which is made up of 16 elementary schools, five middle schools, three comprehensive high schools, one continuation high school and a host of preschools, childcare services and alternative education programs. A public two-year community college aptly named the College of the Desert is also located in Palm Springs, and was attended by 10,412 students as of fall 2011.

The cost of living in Palm Springs is quite a bit higher than the national average of 100 (115.8 on City-Data.com's cost of living index). However, this is offset by the relatively low median gross rent - $921, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

Palm Springs boasts an abundance of attractions and events, including an aerial tramway that holds the accolade of being the world's largest tramcar. If heights aren't your thing, there are plenty of libraries, museums and recreational facilities at ground level - not to mention a public Olympic-size pool, a baseball stadium and a municipal golf course.

Every January and June brings a reminder of the days Palm Springs was the playground to the stars, when famous faces flock from all over to the Palm Springs International Film Festival and International Festival of Short Films. Another yearly event - Modernism Week - takes place every February and celebrates modern design, architecture and culture.

If you are looking for an apartment for rent or a house rental in Palm Springs, Calif., search for rental properties at Rent.com®.