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Living in Apple Valley, CA

Small city in California

Apple Valley is a small city in California, home to about 75,000 people, with 880,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, a car is essential. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses with yards.

Is Apple Valley a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Sunny: more sunshine and clearer skies than most places
  • Low natural disaster risk: 9 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Easy flying: SBD is 30 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 20% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Few dog parks: 1 within 9 mi
  • Hot summers: highs around 95°F

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Apple Valley ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
75,000
880,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
59°F / 95°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$415k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,910/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
106
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,279
State income tax per resident · 0.7% property tax
Safety
1.2× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
9 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, earthquakes
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
20%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SBD
30 mi away

Living in Apple Valley: common questions

What is the cost of living in Apple Valley?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $415k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,910 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 106, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Apple Valley?

California collects about $3,279 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.7% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Apple Valley safe?

Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.2× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Apple Valley?

Apple Valley has mild winters: winter days average around 59°F and summer days around 95°F.

Does Apple Valley get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and earthquakes: 9 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.33 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Apple Valley?

The nearest major airport is SBD, about 30 mi away.

How Apple Valley scores

Each bar compares Apple Valley with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Car essential Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Expensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Houses with yards ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Average
💸Low taxes Below average
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Below average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Below average
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Average
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Excellent
🌤️Mild summers Poor
✈️Airport Good

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Is Apple Valley right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.