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Apple Valley vs Highland

29 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (7.4× in Apple Valley) and average commute (11 min in Highland).

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Apple Valley, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 75,473 people
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Highland, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 56,675 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Highland places higher on 12 of 21 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $660 more a month in Highland

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Apple Valley$2,520/mo
Typical home $433K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $1,444/mo · Housing →
Highland$3,180/mo
Typical home $539K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $1,629/mo · Housing →

The difference: $660 a month, about $8,000 a year, between Highland and Apple Valley.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Apple ValleyHighland
Snow a year0″0″
January low33°F41°F
July high98°F95°F
Growing season (days)233d329d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st99th
Outdoors & history
Apple ValleyHighland
Conserved land1.1%22.5%
Settled19881891
Archive photos308
Famous people born here19—
Community
Apple ValleyHighland
Library hours a week29 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

29 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Apple ValleyHighlandApple ValleyHighland
Apple Valley ↔ Highland29 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Apple ValleyHighland
People
Population 75,473Highest 56,675Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.6%Highest CA: +6.1% +7.3%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 36.5±1.5Highest 4% below CA 33.5±1.2Lowest 12% below CA
Kids under 18 27.6%±2Lowest CA: 22% 27.9%±2.1Highest CA: 22%
Highland and Apple Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.4%±1.2Highest CA: 15.7% 11.9%±1.1Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.9%Lowest CA: 37.1% 22.7%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.7%±0.7Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.7%±1.1Highest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $69,882±$6kLowest 29% below CA $77,120±$7kHighest 22% below CA
Highland and Apple Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $407,400±$11kLowest 45% below CA $485,600±$15kHighest 34% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,444±$60Lowest 29% below CA $1,629±$93Highest 20% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,772Lowest 46% below CA $3,843Highest 25% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 63.1%±8.4Lowest CA: 55.3% 67.4%±6.1Highest CA: 55.3%
Highland and Apple Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.6%Lowest CA: 12% 17.1%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.9%Highest CA: 55.9% 64.1%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1987Highest 11 yrs newer than CA 1983Lowest 7 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 41 minHighest 43% above CA 30 minLowest 6% above CA
Work from home 9.7%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2% 8%±1.5Lowest CA: 17.2%
Apple Valley and Highland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.2%Highest 3.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 33.3 miHighest 13.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.54Highest 0.26Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Victorville (12%)San Bernardino (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HighlandFew work in Apple Valley
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.1%Lowest 22.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 272.5 miHighest 36.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.6 miHighest 2.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 16Highest 5Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 29.6Lowest 55.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #518 of 574 in CA#474 of 574 in CA
School district Apple Valley UnifiedNew Vision Middle District · Entrepreneur High District
High school in town Apple Valley HighEntrepreneur High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.9Highest 17.8Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Apple Valley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Apple Valley’s Town Square.

Highland neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Highland’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Apple Valley and Highland

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Apple Valley

Towns like Apple Valley

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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