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Indio vs Apple Valley

79 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (10.8× in Apple Valley) and street grid (2.8× in Indio).

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Indio, CAHomes around $509KCalifornia · 91,950 people
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Apple Valley, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 75,473 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

Indio 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 $570 more a month in Indio

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.

Indio$3,090/mo
Typical home $509K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $1,437/mo · Housing →
Apple Valley$2,520/mo
Typical home $433K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $1,444/mo · Housing →

The difference: $570 a month, about $6,900 a year, between Indio 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
IndioApple Valley
Snow a year0″0″
January low47°F33°F
July high106°F98°F
Growing season (days)365d233d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)94th91st
Outdoors & history
IndioApple Valley
Conserved land3.2%1.1%
Settled18731988
Archive photos1430
Famous people born here2219
Community
IndioApple Valley
Library hours a week38 hrs29 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

79 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Indio ↔ Apple Valley79 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.

IndioApple Valley
People
Population 91,950Highest 75,473Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +17.2%Highest CA: +6.1% +9.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 38.6±1.1Highest about the CA average 36.5±1.5Lowest 4% below CA
Indio and Apple Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.8%±1.6Lowest CA: 22% 27.6%±2Highest CA: 22%
Apple Valley and Indio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.6%±1Highest CA: 15.7% 18.4%±1.2Lowest CA: 15.7%
Indio and Apple Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 18.9%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±0.8Lowest CA: 7.6% 5.7%±0.7Highest CA: 7.6%
Apple Valley and Indio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $77,167±$6kHighest 22% below CA $69,882±$6kLowest 29% below CA
Indio and Apple Valley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $458,400±$10kHighest 38% below CA $407,400±$11kLowest 45% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,437±$53Lowest 29% below CA $1,444±$60Highest 29% below CA
Apple Valley and Indio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,559Highest 11% below CA $2,772Lowest 46% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.9%±6.3Lowest CA: 55.3% 63.1%±8.4Highest CA: 55.3%
Apple Valley and Indio are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.5%Lowest CA: 12% 16.6%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.1%Lowest CA: 55.9% 69.9%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 2000Highest 24 yrs newer than CA 1987Lowest 11 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 20% below CA 41 minHighest 43% above CA
Work from home 5.1%±1Lowest CA: 17.2% 9.7%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2%
Work in townworking residents 16.3%Highest 15.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 33.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.58Highest 0.54Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Palm Desert (11%)Victorville (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Apple ValleyFew work in Indio
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.2%Highest 1.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 25.2 miLowest 272.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miLowest 3.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Lowest 16Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 83.2Highest 29.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #462 of 574 in CA#518 of 574 in CA
School district Coachella Valley Unified · Desert Sands UnifiedApple Valley Unified
High school in town Indio HighApple Valley High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.6Lowest 23.9Highest
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.

Indio neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

New to Indio Schools

1 neighbor in Indio can answer.

Apple Valley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Apple Valley’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Indio and Apple Valley

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

Bordering Indio

Towns like Indio

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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