Apple Valley vs San Bernardino
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $407,400 in Apple Valley and $422,300 in San Bernardino.
- San Bernardino has the warmer winter: January highs of 67°F vs 58°F.
- Commutes are shorter in San Bernardino (30 vs 41 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Apple Valley, CA | San Bernardino, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 75,247 | 222,044 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.7% | +0% |
| People per square mile | 977 | 3,575 |
| Median age | 36.5 | 32.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19% | 13% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $69,882 | $67,415 |
| Median home value | $407,400 | $422,300 |
| Home value to income | 5.8× | 6.3× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,444 | $1,508 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 106.4 | 106.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 129.3 | 129.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,800 | $79,800 |
| Homeowners | 70% | 50% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 41.1 | 29.7 |
| Work from home | 10% | 6% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.5% | 6.1% |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 18.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 58° / 33° | 67° / 41° |
| July high / low | 98° / 64° | 95° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 6 in | 13 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 119 | 104 |
| Nights below freezing | 54 | 3 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 6 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 7% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.9% | +35.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Apple Valley: April to May and October. San Bernardino: February to May and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Apple Valley weather by month and San Bernardino weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,800 in Apple Valley and $79,800 in San Bernardino. Moving from Apple Valley to San Bernardino, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.