Thermal is an unincorporated community within the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, California located approximately 25 miles southeast of Palm Springs and about 9.5 miles north of the Salton Sea. The community's elevation is 138 feet below mean sea level. It is inside area code 760 and is in ZIP Code 92274. The population was 2,865 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Thermal a census-designated place, which does not precisely correspond to the historical community.