Apple Valley At A Glance

DEMOGRAPHICS in Apple Valley CA

Sources: ESRI (2018); Town of Apple Valley (2019)

Demographic Overview

Current population (2017) 73,355
Current regional population (2017) 443,000
Average household size (2017) 2.91
Median age (2017) 38.0
Home ownership (2017) 62.1%
Total households (2017) 27,140

Historic and Projected Population Estimates

2000 54,239
2005 63,868
2010 69,135
2015 71,107
2020 73,393

Age Distribution of Population (2017)

0 – 4 6.6%
5 – 9 6.6%
10 – 14 6.9%
15 – 19 7.3%
20 – 24 6.8%
25 – 34 12.6%
35 – 44 10.2%
45 – 54 11.5%
55 – 64 12.5%
65 – 74 10.7%
75 – 84 5.9%
85+ 2.3%

Educational Attainment of Population over 25 Years of Age

Years of school completed (2016) Total
Less than high school 6,455 (14.6%)
High school 13,480 (30.5%)
Some college 12,995 (29.3%)
Associate degree 4,311 (9.8%)
Bachelor’s degree 3,851 (8.7%)
Graduate degree 3,126 (7.1%)

Household Income Distribution (2017)

Per capita $25,245
Median household $52,543
Average household $73,297

Households by Income (2017)

< $15,000 13.1%
$15,000 – $24,999 11.9%
$25,000 – $34,999 9.0%
$35,000 – $49,999 13.6%
$50,000 – $74,999 16.8%
$75,000 – $99,999 11.6%
$100,000 – $149,999 14.1%
$150,000 – $199,999 5.7%
$200,000+ 4.3%

LABOR AVAILABILITY

Date | 12/2016
Total labor force | 28,600
Unemployed | 1,500
Unemployment rate | 5.4%

QUALITY OF LIFE

Climate
December (coldest month)
Average low 31°F
Average high 60°F

July (warmest month)
Average low 62°F
Average high 99°F

Prevailing wind speed Average, 7 to 9 MPH
Annual precipitation Average, 4.4”
Elevation 2,947 feet

Source: www.weather.com, www.idcide.com, weatherspark.com

Housing Cost & Availability

Source: Coldwell Banker Commercial Mid-Year Market

Review 2016
Starter $150,000-$212,000
Median $250,000-$400,000
Executive $450,000-$700,000
# homes on market 332
Average time on market 73 Days

Rental Costs

Single-family home (3-bedroom, 2-bath) $1,000-$1,300
Apartments (2-bedroom)$850 – 1,000

SAFETY

Crime Rate
Property crime rate per 100,000 1,894
Violent crime rate per 100,000 221
Crime rate (total incidents) 2,110

Source: CityRating.com 2012 Crime (Actual Data)

Race and Ethnicity of Apple Valley Residents
Census 2010 2017 2022, Projected
White alone 47,764 (69.1%) 47,948 (65.4%) 48,233 (62.9%)
Black alone 6,321 (9.1%) 6,854 (9.3%) 7,257 (9.5%)
American Indian alone 779 (1.1%) 854 (1.2%) 904 (1.2%)
Asian alone 2,020 (2.9%) 2,497 (3.4%) 2,968 (3.9%)
Pacific Islander alone 294 (0.4%) 337 (0.5%) 366 (0.5%)
Some Other Race alone 8,345 (12.1%) 10,481 (14.3%) 12,005 (15.7%)
Two or more races 3,614 (5.2%) 4,383 (6.0%) 4,896 (6.4%)
Hispanic origin (any race) 20,156 (29.2%) 25,186 (34.3%) 29,484 (38.5%)


Apple Valley Shopping

From the large shopping malls to outlet centers and convenient local retail stores, you will be pleasantly surprised at the conveniently located shopping experience in and around Apple Valley.

National brands — retailers, restaurants and financial institutions represented in the area include:

7-Eleven
Albertsons
Applebee’s
Auto Zone
Bank of America
Bed Bath & Beyond
Best Buy
Big Five Sporting Goods
Big Lots
Buffalo Wild Wings
Burger King
Burlington
Carl’s Jr
Chevron
Chipotle
Circle K
CVS Pharmacy
Denny’s
Dollar Tree
Domino’s Pizza
Food 4 Less
GNC
Home Depot
JP Morgan Chase
Jersey Mike’s
KFC
Kirkland’s
Lane Bryant
Little Caesar’s Pizza
Lowe’s
McDonalds
Napa Auto Parts
O’Reilly Auto Parts
OshKosh B’gosh
Panda Express
PetSmart
Pizza Hut
Red Robin
Rite Aid
Ross
Round Table Pizza
Rue21
Sally Beauty
Sonic
Staples
Starbucks
Stater Bros.
Subway
Taco Bell
Target
Tractor Supply
Ulta
The UPS Store
Verizon Wireless
Walgreens
Walmart
Wells Fargo

If larger stores are not what you are looking for, you can still find the perfect combination of old and new in The Village of Apple Valley, the original heart of Apple Valley. “Where Neighborhood Business is Tradition,” this historical business district offers an advantageous mix of commercial uses including retail stores, service-related businesses, warehousing, and light industry. For a list of merchants, links, and activity schedule, go to http://avvillage.org.


Living in Apple Valley

Apple Valley’s half-acre minimum lot size makes it unique among High Desert communities. This tradition began with founders Newt Bass and Bud Westlund in the 1940s when they built quality homes with a flavor of the West, and the larger lots allowed for horses, creating the ideal setting for an upscale equestrian lifestyle.

There is no place like home, especially when home is in Apple Valley. The area continues as one of the nation’s top housing markets. Within this explosive market, Apple Valley ranks as the premier residential community.

Clean air, low population density, low crime rates, excellent schools and a suburban semi-rural lifestyle are some of the reasons families first purchased their homes in Apple Valley. Apple Valley continues to be the first choice of homeowners who demand a quality lifestyle. Spacious custom homes on large lots typify Apple Valley’s residential community. From affordable half-acre ranchettes to equestrian estates or executive manors, Apple Valley’s  housing options fit all needs.

Apple Valley’s housing is almost entirely single-family detached homes, with over 54 percent owner-occupied; the median home value is $192,600.

Custom homes have been the norm in Apple Valley over the years. However, quality, upscale, gated communities within Apple Valley are now in high demand. Finding your new home in Apple Valley will be easy because of the outstanding real estate companies in the area. You will be amazed at the selection and options you have. Come and take a look.


Recreation in Apple Valley

Beautiful sunshine 90 percent of the year and clear High Desert air means Apple Valley is ideally suited for the outdoor enthusiast. From its central location, you can drive to the beach, the mountains or both — in one day. Or stick close to home and enjoy a myriad of opportunities at your doorstep.

A unique feature of the community is the network of equestrian trails that allow easy travel by horseback through many areas of the town. Horse enthusiasts will find a very active equestrian community, with many planned events at Horsemen’s Center (a town-owned facility featuring arenas and riding trails).

If you prefer traveling by golf cart rather than horseback, Apple Valley is home to two public golf courses. Beautiful greens and outstanding courses offer challenges for the advanced golfer while still providing an enjoyable experience for beginners. Many famous golfers and celebrities have tried their hand at the Apple Valley Golf Course, including Lloyd Mangrum (1914-1973), who was ranked 10th on the all-time list of PGA tour wins at his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1998.

Across town, the scenic vistas of the public Ashwood Golf Course make for a great day of golfing, regardless of the final score. For variety, the avid golfer can also try one of the other half-dozen golf courses in neighboring communities, including Spring Valley Lake, Victorville Municipal Golf Course and the Hesperia Golf Course.

Local fishing opportunities abound at the Jess Ranch trout farm, Hesperia Lakes and in the numerous local mountain lakes, providing relaxing fun for the entire family.

With great expanses of natural desert at Apple Valley’s back door, local groups of conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts regularly organize hikes to view everything from wildflowers to historic sites. Whether exploring with a group or on your own, you’ll be thrilled with what’s nearby to discover, such as mysterious petroglyphs carved into desert boulders and cliffs along the Mojave River by early inhabitants (whose only other memorials are a few primitive tools left near ancient campsites).

Off-road vehicle riding is popular and welcome in nearby OHV (off-highway vehicle) designated areas. Just north of Apple Valley is Stoddard Valley OHV Area with everything from steep rocky mountains to rolling hills, open valleys and winding sandy washes. To the west is El Mirage OHV Area, which has been the home of land speed racing  for over 50 years. It ranges from El Mirage Dry Lake Bed (2,800-foot elevation) to the Shadow Mountains (3,800-foot elevation), with El Mirage Hills and Twin Hills in between.

Sand washes, dunes and mesquite thickets cover the 22,500-acre Rasor Road Off-Highway Open Area, 45 miles northwest of Barstow. Rolling hills and open valleys invite riders willing to travel to this remote area. Elevations range from 2,427 feet down to 1,275 feet at the Mojave River. For more information, go to www.blm.gov/visit and www.scta-bni.org/el-mirage.

Just south of Apple Valley is Juniper Flats, a desert oasis in the northern foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains. It has a Watchable Wildlife viewing area, perfect for catching a glimpse of both resident and migrating birds. It is an Area of Critical Concern. For more information, go to www.blm.gov/visit.

The area offers additional opportunities for hiking, rock-scrambling, rock-hounding and plant, bird and wildlife watching. Keep an eye out for the desert tortoise, a state- and federally-listed threatened species. Also, riders are urged to stick to the designated riding areas to avoid the many deep mine shafts in the vicinity.

Locally, the Town of Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide variety of recreation and sports activities for all ages – from special-interest classes to sports leagues to after-school programs to excursions. A quarterly Recreation Activity Guide is mailed to residents to keep them apprised of the fun.

Some of the classes offered through the department include painting, dancing, computers and even “Puppy Kindergarten.” A comprehensive pee-wee sports program teaches 3- to 5-year-olds the building blocks of sport skills and teamwork in a noncompetitive environment. Open rides and campfires at Horsemen’s Center bring the equestrian community together, and day camps offer kids a fun and safe place to go during school breaks.

A year-round calendar of town-wide special events provides fun in a family environment. Events include Sunset Concert Series, the Fourth of July Freedom Festival (an old-fashioned Fourth of July celebration) and an annual Easter Egg Hunt. The department also manages 15 parks and special-use facilities throughout the town.

The ski and recreation areas of Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead and Wrightwood are only an hour’s drive from Apple Valley. These resort areas offer skiing in the winter and boating and lake activities in the summer.

Oktoberfest is celebrated in Big Bear in traditional German fashion with music and beer halls. Lake Arrowhead offers outstanding shopping opportunities and a robust cultural environment with many music and art festivals.

In addition to being close to nature, Apple Valley is a short drive from the entertainment opportunities of Los Angeles and Las Vegas. A less-than-two-hour drive will bring you to the beaches and major attractions of the Los Angeles area. An easy three-hour drive on I-15 will put you in the glow of the casino lights at Stateline and Las Vegas, where visitors can enjoy a variety of top entertainment and family recreation in addition to gambling.

Don’t miss the opportunity to find out what our founders knew: Apple Valley is a great place to live, raise a family in the wide-open spaces and to play. Definitely, it’s A Better Way of Life.


Location and Transportation

Where is Apple Valley, California

The key to Apple Valley’s history and current prosperity is transportation. With the Mojave River and the Cajon Pass running through it, our area is the natural corridor to Southern California. Spanish priests, Mormon settlers and railroad executives knew our area was the safest and fastest way to travel to and from Southern California. In fact, the existence of water in the Mojave River had made this a natural route for Native Americans over the centuries. The coincidence of the location of Cajon Pass near the source of the Mojave River is a history-making combination.

In 1769, Lt. Pedro Fages led the first Spanish exploration through the Cajon Pass. The following year, Juan Bautista de Anza opened the Santa Fe Trail across the desert from the missions of Arizona and Sonora, and Francisco Garces led a party up the Colorado River to Needles and across the desert to the Victor Valley in 1776. Explorer John Fremont traveled throughout much of the territory. In 1844, he returned to Washington after traveling across the Cajon Pass and along the “Mohahve” River.

Eventually, the railroad came to Victor Valley. Overcoming a difficult task of engineering, the first track climbed and wound over Cajon Pass from San Bernardino to arrive in 1883. Built by the California Southern Railroad (later AT&SF) under the supervision of L. N. Victor, the line reached the Atlantic & Pacific (UPRR) junction at Barstow/Daggett in 1885. In 1923, the road crossing the pass was paved for the first time.

The area has always been known as the gateway to North America, and, as the facilities become more congested in Southern California, business and industry are turning their attention northward. Less congestion means faster movement of goods, and savings to companies who have to compete in the national and international market.

Highways: Apple Valley is served by a modern, well-coordinated highway system.

Interstate 15 extends southward to San Diego, connecting with Interstates 10 and 215 and State Routes 60 and 91. Northbound, Interstate 15 runs through Las Vegas, and connects with State Route 58 and Interstate 40.

State Route 18 is the major northern east-west corridor in Apple Valley, and its proposed realignment – along with intermodal transportation facilities in Barstow (20 minutes) and San Bernardino (40 minutes) – will significantly enhance the region’s already formidable presence in the transportation of goods and services in and out of the Los Angeles basin.

Rail: Amtrak passenger services are available at the Victorville Transit Center (16838 D St., Victorville).

Trucks: YRC Freight (20 minutes away from Apple Valley) serves the major trucking needs of the area.

Air: The newly expanded Ontario International Airport, a one-hour drive from Apple Valley on Interstate 10, handles passenger travel for Apple Valley.

Apple Valley Airport is the gem of the county’s High Desert, located in the Town of Apple Valley. Built in 1970, it is the gateway to the Victor Valley region and offers a year-round VFR. Flight services available at Apple Valley Airport include fuel, food, maintenance, charters, rentals and flight training.

Southern California Logistics Airport is 10 miles from Apple Valley. The City of Victorville and Stirling, a Foothill Ranch California-based development company, has a public/private partnership arrangement to redevelop the former George Air Force Base into Global Access. The partnership is dedicated to creating jobs and economic activity in the region. At completion, Global Access is anticipated to create more than 24,000 jobs and support another 18,500 jobs in the surrounding area. Global Access in Victorville, California, is an 8,500-acre multi-modal freight transportation hub supported by air, ground and rail connections.

The largest fully integrated commercial development in the region, Global Access consists of three development divisions which include:

  • Southern California Logistics Airport, a 2,500-acre world-class aviation and air cargo facility serving domestic and international needs.
  • Southern California Logistics Centre, a 2,500-acre commercial and industrial complex totaling 60 million square feet of diverse development.
  • Southern California Rail Complex, a planned 3,500-acre inter-modal rail and multi-modal complex including rail-served facilities.

Bus: Victor Valley Transit Authority provides local bus services. Apple Valley is also served by the Greyhound Bus Lines at the Victorville Transit Center (16838 D St., Victorville). Charter bus service is also available.

Ports: The nearest ports are at Los Angeles-Long Beach.


History of Apple Valley

As early as the late 18th century, explorers began trekking the valley along the Mojave River. They encountered native American people living along this trade route that connected coastal tribes with those along the Colorado River. Spanish missionary Father Francisco Garces, explorer Jedediah Smith and government topographer John C. Fremont were among the earliest to the area, but it was the discovery of silver and gold that brought large numbers of non-native immigrants.

The area witnessed many struggles between the original inhabitants and the later settlers. In January 1867, the last battle between the newcomers and Native Americans was fought a few miles east of what we now know as Apple Valley, at a place called Chimney Rock. Today, people of many ethnic cultures live together in the peaceful surroundings of the valley and the legacy of these cultures is evident throughout the area. Chimney Rock is marked by a state-registered historical monument, and old mine shafts can still be seen in the surrounding hills.

Ursula M. Poates was one of those early arrivals, settling around 1893. She’s credited with having named the area Apple Valley. Poates promoted real estate around the “Gateway to the Golden Land of Opportunity.” The colorful and dynamic woman advertised the 640-acre “City of Apple” in numerous newspapers. Poates claimed that the area was called “Appleton Valley” at the time. She is quoted as saying, “There were apples being grown along the river, but not by the ‘ton,’ so I just called it Apple Valley.”

By 1914, apple growers were earning $350 to $500 per acre of fruit. Within a year and a half, the state legislature and the federal government had authorized the Victor Valley Water Project (the largest in the nation at that time), and the Santa Fe Railway began to lay double trackage to serve the anticipated needs of the area.

On April 17, 1917, the United States entered World War I. Soon thereafter, young farmers, homesteaders, dam-builders, and cowhands began to march off to fight instead of developing the area.

The years following World War I brought many changes that affected the area’s residents. The orchards suffered from a devastating fungus, the cost of operating electricity-driven water pumps increased, and apples and other fruits from the Pacific Northwest arrived in California markets.

Many orchards died, and the valley returned to its original landscape of quiet desert beauty. The final blow was from 1944-46, when frosts, extreme heat, and hail decimated the surviving orchards. For the next seven years, firewood — the only thing growers had left to sell — was carried across Cajon Pass for burning in the fireplaces of Los Angeles.

Bass, who died in 1983, was once asked why he wanted to build a city out in the middle of nowhere. He said, “I had the vision to see, the faith to believe, and the courage to do it.”

Apple Valley Today
The Town of Apple Valley is so much more than just a location on a map, it’s an uncrowded and sun-drenched community. Here, a family can have a real home where the air is clean and the neighbors friendly. Incorporated in November 1988 with a population of just 41,000, it’s nearly doubled in size and still where you can find A Better Way of Life. The Victor Valley, in which Apple Valley is located, has a population of more than 400,000.


Health Care

Apple Valley CA Health Care

Apple Valley’s founders understood that providing health care was a top priority, and it still is today. Numerous medical clinics, offices, specialized clinics and physicians provide excellent medical care in Apple Valley. Residents of the area have access to three hospitals within a 15-minute drive: St. Joseph Health, St. Mary; Victor Valley Global Medical Center; and Desert Valley Hospital.

The keystone to Apple Valley’s medical care is St. Joseph Health, St. Mary Medical Center. Established in 1956, it’s now under the wing of Providence Health St. Joseph and part of the third largest health system in the nation.

Desert Valley Hospital, an innovative 148-bed acute-care hospital, provides state-of-the-art, quality health care.

Victor Valley Global Medical Center, founded in 1967 as Victor Valley Community Hospital, is a 101-bed acute-care hospital. The hospital is governed by a board of directors composed of area business professionals and physicians, and is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations and the California Medical Association. The medical center accepts all major health plans and insurances, as well as Medicare and Medi-Cal.

Apple Valley also has medical facilities to assist individuals, families and the community at various stages of life, health and care. These facilities provide skilled nursing, memory care, respite care, rehabilitation services, hospice and assisted living.


Government

The Town of Apple Valley was incorporated in 1988 as a general law city. Wishing to retain the hometown feeling embedded in the rural roots of the community, the incorporation drive chose “town” over “city” (although both terms mean the same thing under California law). Apple Valley celebrated 30 years as a town in 2018, and its five-member town council is proud of the accomplishments achieved in that short time and continues to base their decisions on whether the outcome contributes to A Better Way of Life for residents, businesses and visitors.

The town hall at the Apple Valley Civic Center, 14955 Dale Evans Pkwy., opened in 2002. The 25,000-square-foot building houses most town departments, as well as a recreation center and the council chambers. The Civic Center is also home to the Newton T. Bass San Bernardino County branch library and a 13,000-square-foot building that houses the Police Department and Code Enforcement Department.

Immediately adjacent is the 22-acre fully landscaped Civic Center Park, which includes an amphitheater, aquatic center, separate playgrounds for small children and larger kids, a walking trail and two dog parks. The town also operates 15 neighborhood parks and special-use facilities, such as the James A. Woody Community Center, Michael H. Martin Gym, and Horsemen’s Center. For more information, visit www.applevalley.org.