Joshua Tree's housing stock is highly distinctive and shaped by its desert setting. The community offers older homestead-era cabins and mid-century ranch houses, as well as a growing number of architect-designed and desert-modern homes, many positioned on multi-acre parcels with sweeping views of rock formations and Joshua tree-studded land. Properties are often unincorporated, which means no city property tax overlay and county-level services. The artistic migration of recent decades has brought a wave of thoughtfully renovated and newly built homes, giving parts of the community an eclectic, design-forward character. Lot sizes tend to be larger than in suburban California, and many homes are oriented toward privacy, views, and outdoor living. The market includes both primary residences and a significant share of vacation and short-term rental properties tied to national park tourism, which shapes the local housing dynamic.

Joshua Tree is organized more by geography and terrain than by formal neighborhoods, reflecting its unincorporated, semi-rural layout. The core village around State Route 62 holds the community's commercial strip, cafés, galleries, and visitor services, with older homes on nearby streets. Residential parcels spread outward across the desert floor and up into the rocky foothills, where larger lots and dramatic boulder-strewn landscapes predominate. The areas closer to the national park's west entrance and along the park boundary blend residential living with direct access to trails and climbing. Surrounding communities form a connected high-desert network: Yucca Valley to the west offers larger retail and services, Pioneertown to the northwest is an Old West-style enclave, and Twentynine Palms to the east anchors the park's other major entrance. Each has a distinct character, and many Joshua Tree residents regularly move between them.

Joshua Tree's lifestyle revolves around the desert landscape and a distinctive creative culture. Rock climbing, hiking, bouldering, and stargazing are everyday pursuits, with the national park's trails and the region's famously dark skies drawing outdoor enthusiasts year-round. The town's artistic identity shows up in galleries, music venues, open-air art installations, and a calendar of events that leans into desert and countercultural themes. Dining and gathering spots are concentrated in the village along the highway, from coffee shops and cafés to live-music venues, while Pioneertown's Old West facades and Pappy & Harriet's-style venues add a regional draw. For everyday shopping and services, Yucca Valley is a short drive west. Life here is quieter and more self-reliant than in coastal California, attracting people who trade urban convenience for space, solitude, and a close relationship with the desert environment.

Public education in Joshua Tree is provided by the Morongo Unified School District, which serves the communities of the Morongo Basin, including Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, Twentynine Palms, and surrounding areas. The district operates a network of elementary, middle, and high schools across this large, sparsely populated region, and school ratings in the area are moderate. Because the district covers a wide geographic area, students may attend schools in neighboring communities depending on their home location and grade level. Higher education is available through Copper Mountain College, a community college based in nearby Joshua Tree serving the Morongo Basin. For relocating families, the district's regional structure and the basin's semi-rural setting are important considerations, and parents should confirm specific school assignments with the district.

Joshua Tree sits along State Route 62, the Twentynine Palms Highway, which runs through the Morongo Basin and connects the community to Yucca Valley to the west and Twentynine Palms to the east. To the southwest, State Route 62 meets Interstate 10 in the Coachella Valley, linking the high desert to Palm Springs, the Inland Empire, and the Los Angeles basin beyond. This makes Joshua Tree a roughly two-hour drive from the greater Los Angeles area, depending on traffic, with Palm Springs and its airport about an hour away by car. Public transit within the basin is limited, so residents rely almost entirely on personal vehicles. The community's unincorporated status means roads and infrastructure are maintained by San Bernardino County. For air travel, Palm Springs International Airport is the nearest major gateway, with Ontario and Los Angeles airports serving longer-haul needs.

Joshua Tree National Park is the community's defining recreational asset, offering world-class rock climbing and bouldering, hiking trails, scenic drives, and camping among granite formations and Joshua tree woodlands. The region's dark night skies make it a destination for astronomy and stargazing. Beyond the park, the surrounding Bureau of Land Management lands and desert backcountry provide open space for off-road exploration, hiking, and dispersed recreation. Pioneertown, a nearby 1880s-style Old West town built as a film set in the 1940s, offers historic facades, live music, and desert dining. The area's arts scene adds galleries, music venues, and seasonal events. For larger cultural amenities, Palm Springs is within an hour's drive, while the high desert's quiet, wide-open character remains the central draw for residents and visitors alike.