The Palm Springs Unified School District is located in the Coachella Valley, which is approximately 110 miles east of Los Angeles and 120 miles northeast of San Diego, in Riverside County, the fastest growing county in California. The District serves the students and families of Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Thousand Palms. In the last ten years, the area's population has increased significantly. Currently, the permanent population of the Coachella Valley is more than 275,000 and continues to grow. Each year, more than 3.5 million tourists visit the Palm Springs area, staying in the more than 15,500 hotel rooms, playing golf at the 85 golf courses, playing tennis on the over 600 tennis courts, eating in the hundreds of restaurants, swimming in the more than 10,000 swimming pools, or attending conventions at the Palm Springs Convention Center.
Tourism remains Palm Springs top industry, followed by agriculture.
The region's top crops are table grapes, dates, grapefruit, lemons, and oranges, though virtually everything is grown in the area thanks to the plentiful supply of water diverted from the Colorado River and the area's large underground aquifer. Hikers from around the world enjoy the many fine trails in the Coachella Valley and nearby mountains. Bringing fame and record number of visitors to the area for more than 30 years is the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the world's largest single-span lift. Its two cable cars transport riders from the desert floor to the 8,516 foot mountain station in the Mt. San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness, where there are hiking, equestrian trails, campsites, restaurant, cocktail lounge, picnic area, and gift shop. Desert Regional Medical Center, Eisenhower Medical Center, John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital, Charter Behavioral Health Systems of So.