Indio vs Hemet
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $352,200 in Hemet and $458,400 in Indio.
- Households earn more in Indio ($77,167 vs $57,719 median).
- Indio has the warmer winter: January highs of 71°F vs 66°F.
- Indio has more scorching days: 187 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 120.
- Commutes are shorter in Indio (23 vs 36 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Indio, CA | Hemet, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 94,269 | 93,649 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.6% | +4.3% |
| People per square mile | 2,841 | 3,200 |
| Median age | 38.6 | 39.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21% | 16% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $77,167 | $57,719 |
| Median home value | $458,400 | $352,200 |
| Home value to income | 5.9× | 6.1× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,437 | $1,575 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 106.4 | 106.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 129.3 | 129.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,800 | $79,800 |
| Homeowners | 67% | 62% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 23.0 | 36.4 |
| Work from home | 5% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.8% | 8% |
| Poverty rate | 11.5% | 14.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 71° / 39° | 66° / 40° |
| July high / low | 107° / 76° | 95° / 64° |
| Precipitation per year | 3 in | 12 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 187 | 120 |
| Nights below freezing | 19 | 15 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 99.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.9% | +35.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Indio: February to March and November. Hemet: March to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Indio weather by month and Hemet weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,800 in Indio and $79,800 in Hemet. Moving from Indio to Hemet, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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