Qualitative Data and the Coachella Valley

It’s 2025! And this is the year of CVEP’s reinvention. We are so excited about the new initiatives and efforts that have emerged from our comprehensive strategic planning. A central theme of this planning was listening – humbly asking our constituents, partners, board, and the public what they would like to see from a new CVEP.

We have identified three primary goals from our planning. One is linking data to opportunities. Many smart people in the valley have strong opinions of what this might mean. So we asked them in a preliminary focus group. One excellent suggestion was providing more qualitative data about the valley’s economy and demography. What do all these wonderful metrics actually mean to businesses and leaders? What are the compelling stories?

Our primary data source, Esri Business Analyst, provides such a qualitative read on data. Esri’s Tapestry Segmentation delivers detailed qualitative summaries of communities across the United States. “Residential areas are grouped into smaller, more manageable segments based on shared demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle characteristics.” Today’s Data Digest will give you a preview of the “tapestry” of the valley.

COACHELLA VALLEY TAPESTRY SEGMENTS

Here are the 5 most common Tapestry Segments in the Coachella Valley. Each tapestry segment, (67 in total) is given a descriptive title and a code of numbers and letters. The numbers designate “LifeMode Groups” of which there are 14, each with a descriptive name. LifeMode groups share similar demographic characteristics and consumer behavior patterns.  They are grouped by characteristics relating to lifestyle, life stage, housing, and households.

In our valley, 3 of the top 5 are in LifeMode 9 – Senior Styles. The third-ranked is LifeMode 7 – Sprouting Explorers, and the 5th ranked is from LifeMode 13 – Next Wave. Nearly 43% of all households in the valley are represented by these five Tapestry Segments. In comparison, these five only represent 5% of all US households, a great indicator of the uniqueness of our valley. Click on the Tapestry Segments to obtain a PDF providing more detail.

Esri Tapestry Segmentation data helps us understand the complexity of a community. “Each segment provides insight into patterns at the neighborhood and community level, allowing for comparison across segments and groups.” Tapestry segments describe the synthesis of “socioeconomic status, neighborhood dynamics, and market potential, providing an enriched understanding of a community.”

NINE VALLEY CITY TAPESTRY SEGMENTS

Below are the Top 5 Tapestry Segments for each valley city.

Just 3 segments describe 100% of Indian Well’s communities. Only five segments represent over 90% of neighborhoods in Coachella, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, and Desert Hot Springs.

NINE CITY LIFEMODE GROUPS

Twenty unique LifeModes describe our nine cities.  The number in italics represents how many cities include these LifeModes.

 1 – LifeMode 9 Senior Styles – (5)

• Senior lifestyles reveal the effects of saving for retirement.
• Households are commonly married empty nesters or singles living alone. Homes are single family (including seasonal getaways), retirement communities, or high-rise apartments.
• More affluent seniors travel and relocate to warmer climates; less affluent, settled seniors are still working toward retirement.
• Cell phones are popular, but so are landlines.
• Many prefer print to digital media: avid readers of newspapers to stay current.
• Subscribe to cable television to watch channels such as Fox News, CNN, and The Weather Channel.
• Residents prefer vitamins and a regular exercise regimen.

 2 – LifeMode 7 Sprouting Explorers (4)

• Young homeowners with families.
• Multilingual and multigenerational households with children who represent second-, third-, or fourth-generation Hispanic families.
• Neighborhoods feature single-family, owner-occupied homes built at city’s edge, primarily built after 1980.
• Hardworking and optimistic, most residents aged 25 years or older have a high school diploma or some college education.
• Shopping and leisure also focus on their children—baby and children’s products from shoes to toys and games and trips to theme parks, water parks, or the zoo.
• Children enjoy playing video games on personal computers or handheld or console devices.
• Many households have dogs for domestic pets.

3 – LifeMode 13 Next Wave (3)

• Urban dwellers; young, hardworking families.
• A large share are foreign born and speak only their native language.
• Young, or multigenerational, families with children are typical.
• Most are renters in older multiunit structures, built in the 1960s or earlier.
• Hardworking with long commutes to jobs, often using public transit to commute to work.
• Spending reflects the youth of these consumers, focus on children (top market for children’s apparel) and personal appearance.
• Also a top market for moviegoers (second only to college students) and fast food.
• Partial to soccer and basketball.

4 – LifeMode 4 Family Landscapes – (Tie 2) Cathedral City & La Quinta

• Successful young families in their first homes.
• Prosperous married-couple families, residing in suburban or semirural areas with a low vacancy rate (second lowest).
• Homeowners (79%) with mortgages (second-highest %), living in newer single-family homes, with median home value slightly higher than the U.S. median value.
• Two workers in the family, contributing to the second-highest labor force participation rate, as well as low unemployment.
• Do-it-yourself types who work on home improvement projects as well as their lawns and gardens.
• Sports enthusiasts, typically owning newer sedans or SUVs, dogs, and savings accounts/plans, who are comfortable with the latest technology.
• Eat out frequently at fast food or family restaurants to accommodate their busy lifestyle.
• Especially enjoy bowling, swimming, playing golf, playing video games, and taking trips to a zoo or theme park.

 5 – LifeMode 5 GenXurban – (Tie – 2) Cathedral City & Rancho Mirage

• Gen X in middle age; families with fewer kids and a mortgage.
• Second-largest Tapestry group, composed of Gen X married couples, and a growing population of retirees.
• About a fifth of residents are 65 or older; about a fourth of households have retirement income.
• Own older single-family homes in urban areas, with 1 or 2 vehicles.
• Live and work in the same county, creating shorter commute times.
• Invest wisely, well insured, comfortable banking online or in person.
• News enthusiasts (read a daily newspaper, watch news on TV, and go online for news).
• Enjoy reading, renting movies, playing board games and cards, doing crossword puzzles, going to museums and rock concerts, dining out, and walking for exercise.

 6 – 9 T(Tied with 1)

LifeMode 1 Affluent Estates – La Quinta

• Established wealth—educated, well-traveled married couples.
• Less than 10% of all households, with 20% of household income.
• Homeowners (almost 90%) with mortgages (65.2%).
• Married-couple families with children ranging from grade school to college.
• Expect quality and invest in time-saving services.
• Participate actively in their communities.
• Active in sports and enthusiastic travelers.

LifeMode 6 Cozy Country Living – Desert Hot Springs

• Empty nesters in bucolic settings.
• Largest Tapestry group, almost half of households located in the Midwest.
• Homeowners with pets, residing in single-family dwellings in rural areas. Almost 30% have 3 or more vehicles and, therefore, auto loans.
• Politically conservative and believe in the importance of buying American.
• Own domestic trucks, motorcycles, and ATVs/UTVs.
• Prefer to eat at home, shop at discount retail stores (especially Walmart), bank in person, and spend little time online.
• Own every tool and piece of equipment available to maintain their homes, vehicles, vegetable gardens, and lawns.
• Listen to country music; watch auto racing on TV; and enjoy outdoor activities, such as fishing, hunting, camping, boating, and bird watching.

LifeMode 8 Middle Ground – Indian Wells

• Lifestyles of thirtysomethings.
• Millennials in the middle: single/married, renters/homeowners, middle class/working class.
• Urban market mix of single-family, town home, and multiunit dwellings.
• Majority of residents attended college or attained a college degree.
• Householders have traded their landlines for cell phones, which they use to listen to music, read the news, and get the latest sports updates on their favorite teams.
• Online all the time: use the internet for entertainment (downloading music, watching YouTube, finding dates), social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), searching for employment.
• Leisure includes nightlife (clubbing, movies), going to the beach, some travel and hiking.

LifeMode 10 Rustic Outposts – Desert Hot Springs

• Country life with older families in older homes.
• Depend on manufacturing, retail, and healthcare, with pockets of mining and agricultural jobs.
• Low labor force participation in skilled and service occupations.
• Own affordable, older single-family or mobile homes. Vehicle ownership is a must.
• Residents live within their means, shop at discount stores, and maintain their own vehicles (purchased used) and homes.
• Outdoor enthusiasts, who grow their own vegetables, love their pets, and enjoy hunting and fishing.
• Pay bills in person; use the yellow pages; read newspapers, magazines, and mail-order books.

NINE CITIES URBANIZATION GROUPS

Tapestry Segments are further organized into 6 Urbanization groups based on segments’ geographic and physical features or “location-based commonalities.”

1. Suburban Periphery (20)

• Urban expansion: affluence in the suburbs or city-by-commute.
• The most populous and fastest-growing among Urbanization groups, Suburban Periphery includes one-third of the nation’s population.
• Commuters value low-density living but demand proximity to jobs, entertainment, and the amenities of an urban center.
• Well-educated, two-income households who accept long commute times to raise their children in these family-friendly neighborhoods. Many are heavily mortgaged in newly built, single-family homes.
• Older householders have either retired in place, downsized, or purchased a seasonal home.
• Suburbanites are the most affluent group, working hard to lead bright, fulfilled lives.
• Residents invest for their future and insure themselves against unforeseen circumstances but also enjoy the results of their hard work.

2. Urban Periphery (10)

• City life for starting families in neighborhoods that fringe major cities
• The earliest suburbs, built before 1970, primarily single-family housing with some apartments.
• Young families with children.
• Homeowners living closer to the city, with below-average vacancy rates.
• Leisure focuses on the children (visits to theme parks or water parks), sports (soccer, basketball, football), and movies.
• Spending also emphasizes the children—clothing, toys, and baby products.
• Parents of small children favor family restaurants and fast food.
• Smartphones are popular for social contacts, downloading apps, games, and music.3.

3. Metro Cities (7)

• Affordable city life including smaller metropolitan cities or satellite cities that feature a mix of single-family and multiunit housing.
• Single householders seeking affordable living in the city: usually multiunit buildings that range from mid- to high-rise apartments with average monthly rents and home value below the U.S. average.
• Consumers include college students, affluent Gen X couples, and retirement communities.
• Student loans more common than mortgages; debit cards more popular than credit cards.
• Residents share an interest in city life and its amenities, from dancing and clubbing to museums and concerts.
• Convenience and mobility favor cell phones over landlines.
• Many residents rely on the internet for entertainment (download music, play online games) and as a useful resource (job searches).

4-5 (Tie) – Principal Urban Center (Cathedral City and Desert Hot Springs)

• Young, mobile populations living in the most densely populated neighborhoods of the largest cities (populations of 2.5 million or more).
• Traits shared by more than 2.5 million people: crowding, high cost of living, and full access to urban amenities, including jobs. Youngest population among the Urbanization groups.
• Households are renter occupied by singles or roommates.
• The most challenging market for auto sales: half the commuters use public transportation, bicycles, or walk to work.
• Focus on style and image with liberal spending on apparel.
• Constantly connected, using the internet for everything from finding jobs to finding dates.

5 – Rural Center (Desert Hot Springs and Palm Springs)

• Country living featuring single-family homes with acreage, farms, and rural resort areas.
• Very low population density distinguishes this group—typically fewer than 50 people per square mile.
• Over half of all households are occupied by persons 55 years and older; many are married couples without children at home.
• Mostly homeowners (80%), but rentals are affordable in single-family or mobile homes.
• Long trips to the store and to work—often drive alone in trucks or SUVs, listening to country radio.
• Blue-collar jobs dominate the landscape, including manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and construction.
• Many are self-employed, retired, or receive income from Social Security.
• Satellite TV and landline phones are necessary means to connect.
  More conservative in their spending practices.
• Comfortable, established, and not likely to move

6. Semirural (1) (Rancho Mirage)

• The most affordable housing—in smaller towns and communities located throughout the country.
• Single-family and mobile homes in the country but still within reach of some amenities.
• Embrace a quiet, country lifestyle including listening to country music, attending country performances, riding ATVs, and camping.
• Prefer domestic products and vehicles, especially trucks.
• Shop at large department and discount stores such as Walmart.
• Fast food and frozen meals are much more common than fine dining.
• Many make a living off the land through agriculture, fishing, and forestry
• Time off is spent visiting nearby family rather than flying to vacation destinations.