Edmund G. (Pat) Brown and Desi Arnaz in Palm Springs; courtesy the Bancroft Library, U.C. Berkeley

The Lure of Palm Springs

The Coachella Valley towns of Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert have attracted thousands of retirees over the past five decades.

Palm Springs was especially appealing to well-off retirees because of both its long history as a celebrity resort and the cosmopolitan lifestyle that the stars brought with them. Located about 100 miles from Hollywood, Palm Springs became a "playground for the stars" in the 1930s. Actors such as Al Jolson, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, and Debbie Reynolds vacationed or purchased homes there. In the 1970s and 1980s, many celebrities heading into old age, such as Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope, led the exodus of retirees to the desert. The 2000 Census showed that over 26 percent of those living in the city of Palm Springs were over the age of 65 — twice as many as the nationwide average for the same age group.

As members of the baby boom generation age, the retired population will continue to rise and the number of retirees living in sunny Southern California will almost certainly increase.