The Most Expensive Neighborhoods in Palm Springs
Palm Springs' citywide median sits around $680,000, but that number hides an enormous range. In the four historic enclaves below, homes routinely sell for four to six times that figure, and in a few cases far more. Here is what actually drives the price difference between them.
Palm Springs' priciest addresses are not spread evenly across the city. They cluster in a handful of historic districts north and west of downtown, where lot sizes are larger, architectural pedigree runs deep, and inventory rarely turns over. Old Las Palmas, Vista Las Palmas, the Movie Colony, and Deepwell Estates each carry a distinct price tier and a distinct buyer profile, so treating them as one market misses most of what actually matters when you are pricing, comparing, or shopping in this segment.
The ranges below reflect recent multiple listing service and public-record sales as of mid-2026. Because so few homes trade in these enclaves in any given month, medians can swing significantly from one reporting period to the next, so treat these as directional rather than fixed.
Four neighborhoods, four different price tiers
Old Las Palmas
Palm Springs' oldest and most prestigious residential enclave, developed starting in the 1920s. Estate-sized lots, mature landscaping, and deep setbacks create a level of privacy that is rare elsewhere in the Valley. Individual sales have spanned from under $1 million for smaller original-condition homes to well above $7 million for major architect-attributed estates, which is why the median here moves more than almost any other neighborhood in the city from month to month.
See current Old Las Palmas listingsVista Las Palmas
Adjacent to Old Las Palmas and defined by its concentration of Alexander-built mid-century homes, including several with documented architect provenance. Buyers here are paying specifically for design pedigree: the same square footage in a non-attributed home nearby can sell for meaningfully less. Renovation quality and how faithfully a home preserves its original architectural details move price as much as size does.
See current Vista Las Palmas listingsThe Movie Colony
The most walkable of the four, and the one with the deepest celebrity history, home to landmark work by E. Stewart Williams and William Krisel, including Frank Sinatra's Twin Palms estate. Prices run somewhat below Old Las Palmas and Vista Las Palmas, largely because lots are smaller, but the tradeoff is proximity: most Movie Colony addresses are a short walk from downtown dining and the Palm Springs Art Museum.
See current Movie Colony listingsDeepwell Estates
The most accessible entry point among the four while still carrying real historic weight. Deepwell was one of Palm Springs' original equestrian-era neighborhoods, and lots tend to be flatter and slightly more uniform than the hillside parcels found in Old Las Palmas. For buyers priced out of the top two tiers but unwilling to give up a historic address, this is usually where the search lands.
See current Deepwell Estates listingsA note on these figures. Historic-district medians are volatile because so few homes sell in any given month, sometimes only two or three in an entire quarter. The ranges above reflect multiple recent reporting periods rather than a single snapshot, but they will shift as new sales close. If you are pricing a specific property or evaluating a specific listing in one of these neighborhoods, ask for a comparison built from the last 90 days of closed sales on that street, not a neighborhood-wide average.
Palm Springs' most expensive neighborhoods, answered.
Is Old Las Palmas or Vista Las Palmas more expensive?
Old Las Palmas typically runs higher at the top end, driven by its largest estate-sized lots and a handful of trophy sales that pull the median up. Vista Las Palmas is more consistent month to month because its inventory is more uniform in size, even though its ceiling is somewhat lower.
What makes a home in these neighborhoods worth more than a similar-sized home elsewhere in Palm Springs?
Architectural attribution, lot size, and setback from the street matter more here than in most of the city. A documented Alexander, Krisel, or Neutra-adjacent design can add a significant premium over an unattributed home of the same square footage, and Class 1 Historic status can bring Mills Act tax benefits alongside preservation requirements.
Are these homes on fee land or lease land?
Both exist across all four neighborhoods, and it is not something you can assume from the address alone. On lease land, typically held through the Agua Caliente Band, you own the home but not the ground beneath it, which affects financing and resale. This should be verified on every individual property before making an offer.
Thinking about buying or selling in one of these neighborhoods?
23 years in the Coachella Valley, CLHMS-certified, and Diamond Preferred with Concierge Auctions. Ryan can walk you through current inventory, recent comparable sales, and fee-versus-lease considerations specific to the address you have in mind.
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