Homes, condos and land for sale and rent in Apple Valley, CA

The naming of Apple Valley is usually associated with John F. Appleton. However, the name was finalized with development in the 1940s. The Apple Valley name was officially recognized when a post office was established in 1949.
One well known apple orchard was owned by Max Ihmsen, publisher of the Los Angeles Examiner newspaper. In 1915, he developed 320 acres (1.3 km2) of apples and pears. The fame of Apple Valley spread as Ihmsen fruit won many agricultural awards. In the late 1930s, Ihmsen’s son-in-law, Cal Godshall, took over the business operations and made the ranch famous as the birthplace of California college rodeo with the first intercollegiate rodeo competition ever held in the United States.
Apple farming in the area started to decline about the time Ihmsen Ranch fruit production was at its prime. Water rates shot up with a switch to electric pumps. World War I took owners and workers away with the draft. During the Great Depression many families left the mostly agricultural area looking for work. Washington and British Columbia apple growers were able to cut prices because they shipped their produce by river transportation, whereas Apple Valley apples were transported by rail or by truck. The death knell was a series of outbreaks of a virulent fungus infections coupled with frost, heat and hail in 1944, 1945 and 1946.
A small orchard was maintained on the grounds of the Apple Valley Inn until it closed in 1986. But the last commercially grown apples in Apple Valley had all but disappeared before the US Post Office officially recognized the name.

Apple Valley is located at 34°31′N 117°13′W (34.5115, -117.2120).
Apple Valley is located at the southern edge of the Mojave Desert. It is bordered by the cities of Victorville on the west and Hesperia on the southwest sides, with the Census-Designated Place of Lucerne Valley a distance to the east and the city of Barstow approx. 30 miles to the north. Apple Valley, in combination with Victorville, Hesperia, Adelanto and immediate surrounding areas, are commonly known as the Victor Valley. The primary thoroughfare through Apple Valley is State Route 18, which was given the moniker “Happy Trails Highway” within Apple Valley town limits, after the theme song of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, who once resided on Outer Highway 18. The commercial area is split currently between State Route 18 and Bear Valley Road (the two roads are near parallel until they intersect in the east, outside of town). The Mojave River that borders the west side of Apple Valley, is one of only a handful of rivers in the world to flow magnetic north. The town is bounded on its southern edge by the foothills of the San Bernardino mountains.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 73.5 square miles (190 km2) of which 73.2 square miles (190 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 0.45%, is water.
The elevation of Apple Valley is approximately 2,900 feet (880 m) above sea level.

Apple Valley is comfortable throughout most of the year, with few snowfalls (0-3/year) in the winter and warm sunny days from late spring to early fall. Seasonal high winds occur occasionally in spring and fall. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Apple Valley has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated “BSk” on climate maps.
On average, the warmest month is July.
The highest recorded temperature was 116 °F (47 °C) in 2002.
On average, the coolest month is December.
The lowest recorded temperature was −1 °F (−18 °C) in 1949.
The most precipitation on average occurs in February.

The 2010 United States Census reported that Apple Valley had a population of 69,135. The population density was 940.3 people per square mile (363.1/km²). The racial makeup of Apple Valley was 47,762 (69.1%) White (55.5% Non-Hispanic White), 6,321 (9.1%) African American, 779 (1.1%) Native American, 2,020 (2.9%) Asian, 294 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 8,345 (12.1%) from other races, and 3,614 (5.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20,156 persons (29.2%).

The Census reported that 68,674 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 161 (0.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 300 (0.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 23,598 households, out of which 9,169 (38.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 12,647 (53.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 3,550 (15.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1,513 (6.4%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1,582 (6.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 177 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,743 households (20.1%) were made up of individuals and 2,429 (10.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91. There were 17,710 families (75.0% of all households); the average family size was 3.32.

The population was spread out with 19,306 people (27.9%) under the age of 18, 6,494 people (9.4%) aged 18 to 24, 15,068 people (21.8%) aged 25 to 44, 17,602 people (25.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 10,665 people (15.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.0 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.
There were 26,117 housing units at an average density of 355.2 per square mile (137.2/km²), of which 16,297 (69.1%) were owner-occupied, and 7,301 (30.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.0%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.0%. 45,483 people (65.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 23,191 people (33.5%) lived in rental housing units.
During 2009–2013, Apple Valley had a median household income of $48,432, with 20.2% of the population living below the federal poverty line.

Apple Valley is highly regarded in San Bernardino County and the State of California for its excellent schools and education options. Apple Valley Unified School District operates two comprehensive high schools (9–12), one Charter school (K–12), one independent study (hybrid/online course) school (K–12), three academies (K–8) and ten elementary schools (K–6). There is one private school (Pre–12).